#disabled travel

[animerunner]

Comment I saw in relation to American Airlines incident: If you don’t work ramp agent you can’t talk.

Me: oh fuck no if you’ve never had to deal with five different damage incidents in under 3 months than you sure as hell don’t get to dictate my feelings.

My scooters been damaged twice, my wheelchair despite the protective case has also been damaged twice, and my walker once.

All in under a year.

Fuck you and your buddies lack of empathy for laughing at us while we have to deal with our equipment repeatedly because y’all think our lives are a joke.

You and your buddies are the ones that need to sit down and shut up. Because y’all damaging thousands of dollars in equipment because you think our lives are some joke is so insensitive

Yall need sensitivity training

[crazycatsiren]

Airports: sensory hell, special interest galore, liminal space. 🧳

Where everything is real and nothing is real. Where time is an illusion. Where there are also many airplanes. ✈️

[69constellationsinatrenchcoat]

Does anyone have any suggestions for flying with a wheelchair, disabilities and a severe disassociative disorder (possibly flying international).

Literally anything welcome, if we're going I'm planning on taking noise cancelling headphones and my hidden disabilities lanyard, and making sure it's all in my booking info, but man am I scareddd

I keep hearing hell stories of people's wheelchairs getting absolutely battered, and broken in transit and I'm a little worried about mine 🫠 it's a folding manual model if that changes anything :)

Thanks in advance!

[rosaleendhu]

Every so often a post makes the rounds about how airports and airlines suck at handling wheel chairs and other mobility aids well. It rarely has a list of groups that are actively working to address this problem, so here ya go!

As a note, I haven't done any vetting of these guys whatsoever, which is why I didn't dig up links. Some groups are narrowly focused on the airplane thing, but others are general aid groups for people with various disabilities.

Mobility Aids Action Group A global group that aims to improve how mobility aids are handled for travelers with disabilities.

All Wheels Up An organization that advocates for safer and more dignified air travel for people with disabilities.

Disability Rights California (DRC) An agency that advocates for the rights of Californians with disabilities, including transportation equity issues.

The Arc's Wings for All program A program that helps families and aviation professionals feel more confident about air travel.

United Spinal Association An organization that provides information about accessible air travel.

Other resources for disabled air travelers include:

TSA Cares Provides information on security procedures for passengers with disabilities.

Air travelers with disabilities hotline A toll-free hotline that provides general information and assistance with disability-related issues. The number is 1-800-778-4838.

National Council on Disability An independent federal agency that provides information about disability rights.

[consider-your-potatoes-mashed]

Okay so I’m heading back to school after spring break and my trip was AMAZING like seriously I loved it but wow I’m in so much pain now from everything we did. I had rest time and most days were laid back but damn even still. I made the mistake of bringing neither my crutches nor my braces with me because I thought they’d be a nuisance rather than helpful but I have definitely come to realize that any potential level of nuisance-ery is far less than the helpfullness of them. I hopefully won’t make that mistake again.

On another note screw the stairs you have to take up to a plane sometimes. Those are so wobbly and steep and long. And oh my my knees wanted to CRY.

[thischarmingamy]

Disability Access Service Pass from Walt Disney World

I’m a Disney Adult and not shy about it. I love vacationing in the Disney bubble, whether it’s Walt Disney World (WDW), Disneyland, or Disneyland Paris. Those are the three I’ve visited so far. For our next trip to WDW I decided to apply for a Disability Access Service (DAS) pass. This pass is for people who, for physical or emotional reasons, cannot wait in long queues. If you’re…

[angelcatsiel]

First wheelchair travelling experience

I recently travelled from northern Ireland to England for a weekend away at a convention, travelling in my wheelchair for the first time, so I figured I would share the experience! I know one thing that helped ease my anxiety about it was reading or hearing about other people's experiences, and being autistic I love to hear as much detail as possible. The more I can mentally prepare myself, the easier things are. So if making this post reassures even one person then it's worth sharing! Plus it would just be nice to have a record of the whole experience for myself while it's still fresh in my brain.

I've also done some stuff in bullet points and bolded certain words in paragraphs for all you ADHD folks out there because reading is hard.

So. Flying!

Flying Out

I flew from Belfast International with my partner and the accessibility there is excellent. We had prebooked assistance online which was very easy to do when booking the flights, and when we arrived at the airport, we immediately spotted the assistance desk. They asked me a few questions about me and my wheelchair (did it fold up, could I make it up the steps to the aircraft alone, etc) and I was told what my gate number would be, and then sent to a check in desk to get a luggage tag for the wheelchair. They put it on the handle, which I realised later was a mistake since I was worried about it falling off, so I'd recommend getting it on the arm rest or somewhere a bit safer.

We were directed to the assistance lane for security, and that all went smoothly. The staff were helpful, my partner sorted the bags out while I went through with my wheelchair and got searched on the other side and had my chair swabbed.

Once through security, we waited around a bit and then headed down to the gate about 15 minutes before it was due to be called. Turned out they'd given us the wrong gate number at the assistance desk, which was a little annoying, but thankfully the correct gate was right next to it. A man took us down via lift before everyone else and I was able to wheel right up to the steps of the aircraft, and he helped with our bags going up the stairs.

After landing, we waited until everyone else had left before getting up. We asked the stewards when I got the wheelchair back or what happened next and they weren't entirely sure, but they went to check and there was a man waiting with the wheelchair lift and my wheelchair in it (let me tell you, I was so relieved to see it again!). We were taken down with another family in the lift and then taken back to the airport, I tried to wheel myself but the ground was quite rough so I asked the guy taking us back to the airport if I could get a push and he was happy to do that.

Convention Accessibility

The convention was pretty good for accessibility overall with a few minor issues. I had emailed them and filled out a google form a couple of weeks before, explaining that I would be in a wheelchair, I would require my partner with me as my carer, and I would require an aisle seat reserved for him in the main hall with a wheelchair space next to it. We got registered on the Friday and collected my access pass, which said +1 on it to indicate a carer, that was all fine.

Saturday morning, we arrived in the main hall. No wheelchair space or aisle seat was allocated to us. We spoke to the woman in charge of that, who explained that I should have got an email telling me to see her Friday evening and get a space arranged for me. I double checked my emails, there was no mention of it. She told me she couldn't do anything that day, and I would have to find her that evening, sort out a slot for the next day, and then come and find her again early the next morning to fine tune a place for me to sit.

This all seemed unnecessarily complicated to me. It would have been very difficult to get there Friday evening to arrange things, since I was staying in a hotel a few miles up the road and I needed some time to rest and recover after travelling. It was also very difficult for me to get there so early Sunday morning, since I have a hard time in the mornings due to one of my disabilities, and breakfast at the hotel I was staying in didn't start until 8am, so I had to do that first. I got it sorted in the end, but they definitely could have made things clearer and simplified the process, in my opinion.

Other than that, the con was great. There were dedicated seating areas for disabled people waiting for their photo ops, we sat there until a member of staff took us over to the front of the queue to get our photos. The con hotel was very accessible (I won't talk about the hotel I stayed in since that wasn't accessible and since I can walk, we just left my wheelchair in the car overnight). I was able to participte in everything as usual and get around easily.

Other Stuff/General Experiences

I did a lot of dancing in my wheelchair. It was amazing. The Cha Cha slide rules because I get to do little wheelies to the hops.

People at the parties were lovely. Everyone seemed happy to see me dancing, and there were no strange looks or anything when I got up for one song that was kind of impossible to do in a wheelchair.

I did get pushed without my permission by a stranger for the first time, which was very scary. Ironically, it was also the first time I was in my wheelchair with the backrest lowered to make it easier for me to dance, and the handles were down. A guy I was talking to gave me a massive shove and I collided with someone. I'm forgiving of him because he was drunk and was lovely before that, but it was not ok and not nice. I went from 'everything is great!' to 'fuck you don't touch my fucking wheelchair' in a split second.

Going up hills is hard work, but if you zigzag, it's a little easier. Going downhill rules. Rough ground or ground with a slight tilt to it is evil.

While practicing my wheelies on gravel (it's easier to move across gravel on back wheels only) I tipped backwards and fell. It was mildly embarrassing, but mostly funny, and I didn't get hurt. I'm glad it happened, because I was very anxious about it happening, but when it did, it really wasn't that bad. Provided some great entertainment for people, and the gravel was surprisingly soft.

In the airport on the way home, I bought a baguette and a chocolate mousse from Pret. I struggled to reach the counter to place my items on there, but I managed. The woman serving put my items in a bag and came around the counter to hand the bag directly to me, which was nice. As she handed it to me, she said, 'that's on the house for you, darling'. I was so surprised, but I'm certainly not going to complain! I guess being disabled has its perks.

Flying Home

There were a few more access issues flying home than there were flying out, which surprised me at such a large airport. One lift wasn't working, with no out of order sign or anything, but at least there was another lift nearby. The disabled toilet on that side of security was a little small, but when I entered, an automated voice told me to wave my hand in front of the sensor to my left if I was visually impaired and wanted to hear a description of the room, which I thought was cool. I haven't seen that before.

We encountered a trolley parked in such an awkward spot directly in front of a wheelchair gate that if I hadn't been with my partner, my access would have been completely cut off. He had to go around and move it for me. Only a minor thing, but still annoying. I hope it wasn't a staff member who parked it there.

I found the assistance desk easily, everything was the same as before, although when I asked about a luggage tag for my wheelchair, they told me I would be given one at the gate. Cool.

Security went smoothly, same as before. On the other side of security, I tried to go to the bathroom. There were two accessible stalls. One was out of order, the other was locked with a key code required, and no signs or instructions or anything about it. I had to go into the regular bathroom and park my wheelchair outside a stall and then go in. It was scary leaving my chair unattended even briefly, and if I was completely unable to walk, then again, my access would have been cut off. Fuck disabled bathrooms with key codes. Let it be unlocked with a RADAR key (which I have) at the very least.

We got to the gate early again, and a man met us there and introduced himself, he was there to assist me getting on the plane and he was lovely, we had a nice chat. At the gate, the woman checking our boarding passes asked why I didn't have a luggage tag for the wheelchair. I explained that I had been told I would get one at the gate. Apparently that was incorrect, and I should have collected one at check in. Luckily she got it sorted and gave me one, but that was annoying.

Mildly amusing moment: A woman was there at the gate with her daughter and hadn't booked any assistance in advance, but was asking if they could go with us and be first on the flight as her daughter got overwhelmed in crowds. They told her she should have booked first, but were still willing to take her. She asked if we were going down the stairs. The guy explained to her that no, we would not be taking me in my wheelchair down the stairs, we would be going in the lift. She immediately pulled a face and said 'oh never mind then, I'm not doing that, I don't like lifts.' Like... you were genuinely surprised that I, a wheelchair user, was taking the lift and not the stairs???

Anyway, we got to wheel right up to the steps again, we were helped with our bags onto the plane, and this time when we landed, I had to walk down the stairs where my chair was waiting at the bottom, but I had indicated that I could do the stairs on my form when I booked, so that was fine by me. I got straight back in my chair, and we were taken back to the airport. And that was it!

Tips/Advice

There are probably much more experienced wheelchair users and travellers to ask, but here are a few tips I've picked up!

Don't be afraid to ask questions or ask for help. In my experience, most people are kind and happy to help. I had to ask strangers to help me reach things on shelves a few times, or help me with doors. It's a little scary, but you get used to it!

Remember that you can use your environment to help you get around. I quickly discovered that one ramp in the con hotel was easier to get up if I grabbed the railings either side and pulled myself up, rather than pushing with the push rims. Doors are easier to go through if you grab the edge of the door and pull yourself through. It's a lot of constant learning and figuring out as you go.

Youtube is an excellent resource for learning. Wheelsnoheels is one I've used a lot and was very helpful, her videos are great!

As I mentioned earlier, wheelies are a useful thing to master, but it's not easy. There are a lot of great videos about that on Youtube too. Not everyone will be able to do a wheelie and of course not every wheelchair is capable of it, and they do take a lot of practice, I'm still not very good at them. Practice somewhere safe with a friend to catch you if you fall, or something soft like a sofa behind you.

Be prepared. Plan in advance. How you'll bring your suitcase with you, any extra items you need for your wheelchair or your disabilities, have your name and a contact number on your chair somewhere (I wrote mine on a piece of paper and put that in the pocket on the back of my chair).

That's about everything I can think of. My inbox is always open for messages about this topic, anything disability related, or anything at all really!

[aaaccessibletravel]

Diamond Beach (Breiðamerkursandur), Iceland. It's one of the furthest places away from where I could travel from Australia, as someone with multiple sclerosis. Don't let your disability stop you from going places!

[elodee]

I won't be using Alaska Air if there are any other options available.

[thedisablednaturalist]

Disabled people should be allowed to travel in comfort just like everyone else. Idc if their wheelchair "takes up space" or if them using the airport transport service makes you jealous. Idc if you get mad bc they got to be seated first even though you paid a lot for your seat. I don't care if you think they are some TikTok influencer pretending to be disabled. I literally don't give a fuck. That person has a right to be there just as much as you do. Mind your own fucking business.

[crazycatsiren]

Even though I've done it a good handful of times already, traveling with multiple disabilities is still a scary thing.

[em-the-nem]

Reasons to take a train for distance travel:

• affordable

• pretty views out the window

• no dealing with TSA

• you can bring your own snacks and drinks

• accessibility for disabled folks

• no baggage claim to break or lose your stuff

• you might meet a lesbian on there

[reasonsforhope]

By the time Sue Shusterman turns away from the bench at the overlook and back toward the trailhead, she knows the paddleboarders are out in force 300 yards away on the gleaming blue surface of Chatfield Reservoir.  

She knows the high runoff waters have flooded the roots of Chatfield’s willows and cottonwoods, and that the first spring-green layers of the foothills rise to the west like soft fabric. 

How she acquired these life-affirming memories is at first a mystery, since Shusterman is blind and is heading back toward the parking lot making her usual sweep of the path in front with her ever-present white cane.  

But then a friendly voice emerges from the phone that Shusterman is pointing toward the path from her other hand.

A little to the left to stay on the paved path. Looks like there’s a trail all the way down to the beach, about 75 yards, if you wanted to go. I’ll just be here watching, let me know if you need anything. 

The voice is from a live, trained human guide FaceTiming through Shusterman’s phone camera on the Aira ability-assist app. Sight-impaired people have been using Aira’s guides to make it easier to do anything from navigating an airport to filling out an online job form. Now, all 42 Colorado state parks like Chatfield are geofenced to allow any visitor to use Aira for free to stroll the trails with a helpful set of eyes. 

The Aira guides seemingly effortlessly offer what a blind hiker either needs, or wants. If there’s a dangerous steep drop-off on the right, they warn. If the hiker would rather know if the sneezeweed is in bloom or the sailboats are luffing through a turn, Aira offers that instead.

For Shusterman, trying Aira as an outdoors adventure for the first time, the allure was simple: “Independence.” 

“So she’s doing, I think, a phenomenal job of including the necessary safety things, but the perks of the scenery, too,” Shusterman said, as she paused during a conversation with an Aira guide based in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “She’s doing great.”

State accessibility officials recently announced the expansion of Aira to state parks grounds, after previously providing Aira free for other state-related functions such as navigating a government building or getting help on an online site or filling out forms. Colorado cannot control the cellphone signal, though, so parks officials encourage visitors to try Aira at a familiar or close-in park space before ranging farther afield with it. Popular parks like Staunton or Golden Gate contain pockets where signals are not strong. 

For consumers buying access on their own, Aira costs about $50 for 30 minutes of assistance a month. Private employers and governments often buy package access to Aira and other accessibility apps for all employees to use. State accessibility coordinator Theresa Montano, who is blind and accompanied Shusterman on her Chatfield walk, said Amazon buys access so that sight-impaired shipping center employees can navigate steps to pack orders.

Montano uses Aira at her state job, saying the guides on the app can share her computer screen and help her get through an online task in 30 minutes that might take her four hours without help or through older accessibility tools. 

Adding Aira for state-owned lands was wrapped into the overall $250,000 budget for free Aira use on state property and with state websites. The additional utility is an obvious plus, Montano said. 

“This gives blind people the same opportunity to come and enjoy it by themselves or with their family if they want to, and be independent,” she said...

Shusterman walked away taking more from the big picture experience, rather than any particular scenic detail. 

“For me, it was, you know what, I could go for a walk on this path, and I could feel completely safe, and I would enjoy a nice walk and get some exercise, in an unfamiliar area,” Shusterman said. “It’s definitely a real confidence boost for me.”  

-via The Colorado Sun, June 11, 2024

[newsfromstolenland]

Did you know that people on the Ontario Disability Support Program can only leave the province for a maximum of 30 days?

Excerpt from an email I got: "Ontario Disability Support Program is for people living in Ontario. You can be out of Ontario for up to 30 days in a row when you are on the Ontario Disability Support Program. If you are out of Ontario for more than 30 days in a row your trip must be pre-approved to maintain your eligibility for the Ontario Disability Support Program. Your monthly declaration will help keep your file updated."

"And ODSP can give you income support even if you're away more than 30 days.

They do this if they agree that you need to be away:

for health reasons,

to attend a college or university, or

for what ODSP calls "exceptional circumstances""

But only with their approval.

If anyone on Ontario disability support leaves the province for more than 30 days without government approval, we risk losing our benefits.

This is ableism. This is restricting our rights and forcing us to go through ODSP (which is notoriously slow) in order to leave not just the country, but the province, for 30 days of more.

[astronomodome]

I sincerely believe that goodtimeswithscar should be allowed to kill anyone who is rude to him

[anotherqueersnailowner]

dude why don't we have more public benches throughout towns. I'm fucking disabled if I have to walk the mile back home after work I'm either not gonna make it or I'm gonna end up laying motionless on the floor for the next half hour