Traveling with Disabilities In the event that you are getting the itch to go south for the winter or even plan for future vacations, this article may be of assistance to you! SATH, the Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality, is a non-profit membership organization consisting of consumers, tour operators, and professionals in the hospitality industry. Ms. Jani Nayar, the Operations Manager for the New York City headquarters office of SATH, addressed the June Support Group in a lively discussion about strategizing and planning for accessible travel for individuals with ALS and their travel companions. Air travel with wheelchairs Ms. Nayar continued her discussion with some tips for wheelchair users planning air travel in the United States. (Non-US airlines, unfortunately, are not required to abide by ADA laws.) Some of the points that she covered included: At most airports, curbside drop-off rules have changes since Sept. 11th. It is wise to call the airport in advance to get the latest information about baggage check-in curbside services. It is now possible, if you are using a wheelchair, to remain in your own chair up to the door of the aircraft. At that point, it is necessary to transfer to the airline’s regulation transport chair to access the aircraft. However, it is the airline’s responsibility to dismantle your wheelchair (no matter how high-tech), pack it for safe and proper storage during the flight, properly reassemble it once on the ground, and meet you at the door of the aircraft again for deplaning. Calling ahead to arrange for this special service is advisable. It may be easier to rent a power wheelchair at your destination, though, than to rely on gentle handling of your customized chair by the airlines. Security checks (especially if you are randomly selected for the more thorough body and clothing check) can be done in a private room at your request. You must be accommodated—it is your right. Your caregiver, even if not traveling with you, has the right to accompany you to the door of the aircraft. No ticket is necessary to get through security. Disabled travelers may also need to take along other pieces of equipment. Some examples are: Walkers, canes, etc.: You have a right to take your walker or cane on board the airplane, and they do not count as carry-ons (that is, you are still permitted the usual number of carry-on items). Respiratory equipment when going abroad: In order to make use of breathing equipment (suction, cougholator, BiPAP), you should call the manufacturer for specific overseas adaptive specifications for batteries and plugs. Train travel There are very few accessible train compartments available on any given route, so the best advice is to reserve early. Unfortunately, non-disabled passengers are unethically reserving accessible rooms because these compartments’ bathrooms are known to be larger and more comfortable. Because it is illegal for the person taking the reservation to inquire as to the nature of the disability, these quarters get taken first. SATH is currently involved in training Amtrak personnel to be able to sensitively help disabled train travelers. Cruises Only cruise lines traveling to Alaska and Nova Scotia currently have the ability to help wheelchair-bound passengers disembark for short excursions. Cruises to the Caribbean are particularly unable to accommodate these port calls because the ships do not dock, requiring transfer to a smaller boat to get to shore. The Princess cruises are on target with both the letter and the spirit of the law, and make the ships themselves very accessible to disabled travelers. Hotels Minimizing the amount of equipment you need to travel with will make your vacation or business trip simpler and less stressful. So be prepared to ask very specific questions about available equipment and the set-up if the room when calling for reservations. We often end up talking to someone at an 800 number (not located in the city or town of our destination) when booking accommodations with the major hotel chains. Request the direct number for the hotel in your actual destination. Ms. Nayar suggested faxing pictures of the equipment that you need (for example, a transfer tub bench). Otherwise, the hotel reservationist may say to you a generic “Yes, we are accessible.” Better hotels can be asked to rent for you some pieces of equipment, such as a raised toilet seat. You may, however, incur the costs for the rental. AAA accommodation books are now available for four areas of the US—Florida, California, Washington, DC, and New York. The hotels included in these books provide lists of all in-room equipment available for travelers with disabilities. Anne Saunders shared with us her recent Carnival Cruise experience — “it was from and back to New York, so great for city dwellers. The handicap cabins are a great help and I could manage the bathroom and shower with my husbands help, though the shower facilities are not well designed. I could get to most of the public areas on the ship and at every shore destination there was at least one excursion offered that provided transport with a wheelchair lift, or in one case a ramp into a van. We really enjoyed it”. Thank you for sharing this with our readers.