Yup, the airport provides the wheelchairs (and someone to push you) if you don’t travel with you own wheelchair. Even if you do travel with your own wheelchair, it’s always put in the hold, not the cabin. I’ve never needed to use a wheelchair ON the plane, just to get to it, but when you book special assistance in advance you’re asked if you can walk up the steps to the plane and whether you can walk through the cabin to your seat so arrangements can be made in advance.
If I had to guess I’d say the airport staff didn’t have the narrower “on board” wheelchair to hand and the pilot didn’t want to miss their take off slot.
Yup, the airport provides the wheelchairs (and someone to push you) if you don’t travel with you own wheelchair. Even if you do travel with your own wheelchair, it’s always put in the hold, not the cabin. I’ve never needed to use a wheelchair ON the plane, just to get to it, but when you book special assistance in advance you’re asked if you can walk up the steps to the plane and whether you can walk through the cabin to your seat so arrangements can be made in advance.
If I had to guess I’d say the airport staff didn’t have the narrower “on board” wheelchair to hand and the pilot didn’t want to miss their take off slot.