How are semi-disabled people gotten onto airplanes?

The people who mentioned the 'tubes' or jet ways are correct and I might be able to shine a light on what might happen at a smaller airport. About 10 years ago I was on crutches, recovering from foot surgery when we flew into the Santa Barbara airport. It is (or at least WAS) a very small airport, more like a hacienda than an airport. They had notified the airport in advance that there was a passenger who was on crutches and they used a set of rolling stairs that was wide enough for three people to stand across. DH and I left the plane last and an attendant stayed on one side of me the entire way down - I think I would have been better off using one crutch and the rail but took the help. On the way back 2 weeks later they told me not to try the steps and rolled out what I can only explain as a rolling elevator, I stood on it but it would have accommodated a wheelchair easily. I'm sure many people have never seen one of these.

As for the escape chute, there will be people at the bottom to assist passengers from the chute - a member of the crew is supposed to go first to make sure all is safe or at least safer then on board. Someone who could not get to the chute on their own power, whether from an on-board injury or because that is the way they started out, would be assisted to the chute the same way a person would have been assisted onto the plan in the first place.

There is always something that can be done, unless you go with a totally cheapo airline like Ryanair (whom I have vowed never to use - they are totally despicable).

There are two ways of boarding and exiting an airplane, and I've experienced both. If it can roll right up to the terminal, quite often there is a tube that extends from the building right to the plane door and then you can walk through it straight on, no stairs. Totally handicapped-accessible. But if not, then it's rolling staircases and in that case, the airport has vehicles it can use to get you on and off.

My local airport is London Heathrow and it's so big that parking the plane a long way from the terminal and having to get people from one to the other by bus is normal. The last time I flew from there, the bus took so long that someone made the inevitable crack "are we DRIVING there?"

The other thing is that in a big airport, even just walking to the departure gate can seem like forever. Heathrow has electric cars to help with this - many is the time I have been passed by a disabled or semi-disabled person being driven down the corridor.

Most aircraft are boarded via jet bridges these days, so there are no steps to negotiate. Small aircraft and/or small airports may still use stairs, and in that case someone with serious mobility problems must either be carried on and off the aircraft or stay behind.

Airlines do not publicize it, but people with mobility problems have last priority in an emergency. The objective of an evacuation is to get as many people safely off the airplane as possible, as quickly as possible, and so anyone who might impede evacuation (such as a person who cannot walk on his own, or someone confined to a wheelchair, etc.) is evacuated last, after everyone else is safely off. It's a simple matter of maximizing the number of lives saved. For the same reason, disabled people cannot be seated in exit rows, and ideally they should be seated in the seats furthest from the exits, so has not to be in anyone else's way if evacuation is required.

That 1st answerer was mistaken. Yes, most flights are boarded through the ramps ( jetways), but some smaller airlines and especially at smaller airports have your climb stairs onto the airplane. I have had to do it quite a few times...and it is very difficult for me. I too have wondered what would be done for a person with serious walking problems on such a flight...and I don't know the answer. I hope someone with the info answers you. The article below says that when you are going to fly, you need to ask if each leg of your flight will board through jetways. If one of the parts of your trip boards on the tarmac with stairs, you will have to choose a different flight. Flight attendants may carry a child or small person up the stairs, but for others it would be impossible.

you would be loaded first before other passengers and they do have elevators in some planes for getting the food on the plane. when exiting a flight attendant would help to get you off after the other passengers have left the plane and then one of them would have been told to help get you off the slide and away from the plane

all planes have ramps that you board on. In the case of an emergancy someone would help you.