I made an airline reservation on-line and the fare that they came up with had a 20 minute connection time at Dallas Fort Worth airport. I figured that they wouldn’t sell me a flight if I couldn’t make the connection so I booked it. In retrospect, now I’m wondering if I will have enough time, since I use a wheelchair. Do you have any advice?

That really is a tight connection, especially considering the wheelchair. Even if the plane is on time (and that’s not always a given), you will be the last person off the plane. Then you have to wait either for an airport wheelchair, or for your own wheelchair to be brought up from the hold. Then of course, you never know where your connecting gate will be, and you could even have to change terminals. There are just too many factors involved, and unless they all go right (highly unlikely) you will probably miss your connection.

I recommend allowing one-and-a-half hours between flights. That way you can take your time, and even if something goes wrong, you still won’t miss your connecting flight.

At this point, I’d just throw myself on the mercy of the airline and ask if they will change your flight to a connection you can actually make, without a penalty. Explain to them that you are a wheelchair-user, and if the reservations agent won’t budge, ask to speak to the Complaints Resolution Official (CRO). The CRO is trained in access issues and has the authority to solve problems. And next time, plan for a longer connecting time, as you really do need it.