Opening Doors for Disabled Travelers

In May 2006 the Open Doors Organization (ODO) of Chicago hosted its first Airline Symposium, bringing together 33 airline representatives from around the U.S. to Chicago to discuss two important issues to travelers with disabilities -- safe stowage of scooters and wheelchairs, and maintaining high standards among contract workers who assist passengers with disabilities get to the gate and board the aircraft. Thirteen airlines participated in the 2-day event co-sponsored by the Air Transport Association. ODO staff shared the results and solutions from four years of research on these issues, as airline representatives contributed best practices to the group.

Cars, hotels, airplanes -- all the modes of travel present some special issues for travelers with disabilities. Smaller airplanes that use staircases are clearly a problem, but even with jetways and the ability to roll a wheelchair down the aisle, there may still be problems. The aisles are narrow, usually requiring transfer from the individual’s normal wheelchair to a narrower “aisle chair” or “straight back chair”. Airport staff are rarely adequately trained to lift and accommodate someone who cannot lift their arms or assist in the transfer.

Accessibility for disabled passengers is mandated by the Air Carrier Access Act, which was passed in 1986. The Americans with Disabilities Act, which bars discrimination against the disabled, was passed in 1990. Nonetheless, businesses “may be following the letter of the regulations in accessibility, but not the spirit of them. All too often companies fall short in the way they accommodate people.” (Welch)

Hotels offer a small number of rooms outfitted for handicapped guests, but staff training is generally lacking. Travelers want to feel comfortable and welcome.

“There is major customer service inconsistency,” said Eric Lipp, executive director of the Open Doors Organization, a nonprofit group based in Chicago that researches travel by people with disabilities. According to an Open Doors survey from 2005, more than 80 percent of adults with disabilities who have traveled by air encountered obstacles. Their two most common complaints were the handling of devices like wheelchairs or scooters and the quality of the contracted workers.

Mr. Lipp is optimistic the situation will improve. The Symposium was an important step. “The fact that 13 airlines showed up is amazing,” he said. “They’re really starting to open their eyes.”

The airlines trade group helped organize the meeting. “We’re always looking for ways to help our members improve their delivery of services and ensure that they comply with the law,” said Sophy Chen, a senior attorney at the trade association, who attended. The Open Doors survey showed that 71 percent of disabled adults — more than 21 million people — traveled in the last two years. And a 2002 study revealed that disabled people spent $13.6 billion annually on travel.

“This is a huge market,” says Lipp. Census Bureau figures released in April showed that 51.2 million people, or 18 percent of the population, had some sort of disability.

In addition, there is an increasingly large population of senior citizens. “There are a lot of mature travelers who don’t self-identify as disabled but could use a walker or a large-print menu,” he said. “They won’t necessarily ask for it ahead of time, but if it’s offered to them, they’ll take it.” Open Doors estimates that disabled and mature travelers spend $38 billion on travel.

“This segment of the population has been overlooked,” said Suzanne D. Cook, senior vice president of research at the Travel Industry Association of America. “Given that aging and disability are correlated, there will be millions more of these travelers.” (Welch)

Level Travel, an organization in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, has a Web site (www.leveltravel.com) that ranks hotels and restaurants in major cities on their accessibility for four groups: older travelers and travelers with mobility, hearing or vision impairment.

Jamie Sharples, Level Travel’s president, said he founded the company three years ago because of inconsistencies he found in the travel industry. “We wanted to provide a standard instead of getting someone’s opinion” on whether a facility was accessible, he said.

In June 2006, Avis Rent A Car has announced a new pilot program with Scootaround Inc. that will give customers the ability to rent a mobility scooter and have it waiting in the trunk of their next rental vehicle or delivered to the customer’s location. The program rolls out at two of the nation’s most frequented leisure and convention destinations – Las Vegas and Orlando. Avis is the first rental car company to offer mobility scooters combined with vehicle rentals. Visit www.scootaround.com/news for more information.

Taxis for All is an organization that is making transportation more convenient for people with disabilities. Check out their website for more information http://www.unitedspinal.org/advocacy/taxisforall.

References; See also Sara J. Welch, “Itineraries: Not so Accessible,” the New York Times, June 13, 2006.

As printed in the VHL Family Forum 14:2, August/September 2006. For permission to reprint, please contact VHL Family Alliance, editor@vhl.org. Further information is available from the VHL Family Alliance, info@vhl.org