Top tips for accessible travel

As one of many world’s main accessible journey bloggers, Cory Lee shines a light-weight on the practicalities of travelling with a incapacity. As a good friend of Skyscanner, we requested him to share his high tricks to make journey simpler and extra accessible for everybody.

Accessible journey: high 3 ideas

1. Pre-plan: I would like to consider EVERYTHING as a wheelchair consumer. [Such as] whether or not the vacation spot has accessible transportation in order that I can simply manoeuvre round, [as well as] lodging that has accessible actions and is welcoming to wheelchair customers.
2. Be affected person: When travelling, one of the necessary issues to take with you is ‘endurance’. Generally travelling may not go precisely as deliberate however being affected person and explaining precisely what you want in a pleasant and calm method can go a good distance.
3. Have enjoyable!: Journey means the liberty to discover the world and provides me the happiness and pleasure of experiencing new issues. I couldn’t suggest it sufficient!

Travelling with a wheelchair

Wheelchairs and mobility units give folks the liberty to maneuver round, reside their lives and journey extra freely. They’ve a massively constructive impression and are extraordinarily treasured cargo for any disabled traveller.

With the expertise of travelling to over 39 international locations with the assist of his wheelchair, Wheelchair Accessible Journey Professional, Cory Lee, shares his sensible recommendations on how greatest to guard wheelchairs from any harm throughout a flight:

1. Set wheelchair to guide: If a powered wheelchair, set the wheelchair to guide in order that airport employees can simply push it.
2. Consolation is essential: Take the cushion off the wheelchair and place it on the aircraft seat for additional consolation.
3. Defend your wheelchair: Flip footrests up and bubblewrap the joystick (in case your wheelchair has one) to verify the wheelchair doesn’t get broken if it hits something within the maintain.
4. Share the main points: Print out a sheet with the entire particulars in regards to the wheelchair together with wheelchair dimensions, contacts particulars and the way greatest to retailer the wheelchair within the maintain.

For a helpful video information on tips on how to shield your wheelchair, Take a look at Cory’s useful reel on Instagram.

About Cory Lee:

Cory Lee is a Wheelchair Accessible Journey Professional, primarily based within the US, who has travelled to all 7 continents and over 39 international locations utilizing his wheelchair. As one of many world’s main accessible journey bloggers, Cory is keen about sharing his experiences as disabled traveller. His purpose is to indicate disabled travellers tips on how to journey, the place to journey and, most significantly, why journey as individual with a incapacity.

At age of two, Cory was identified with Spinal Muscular Atrophy and, on the age of 4, Cory acquired his first powered wheelchair and took his first journey to Walt Disney World. A visit to the Bahamas, on the age of 15, was his first worldwide journey, sparking a life-long love of journey and the start of his journey in the direction of his profession as an award-winning content material creator.

Our dedication

Skyscanner’s Accessibility Lead, Heather Hepburn, says:

“Via our Accessibility Programme at Skyscanner, we’re decided to proceed to enhance accessibility and inclusive design throughout all Skyscanner merchandise; guaranteeing that digital accessibility is embedded into Skyscanner’s instruments, processes, and methods of working. Alongside elevating accessibility consciousness and bettering advocacy throughout the enterprise, it’s our mission to make journey higher for everybody.

“Since 2021, we’ve got been proud to be a part of the Valuable 500, and the worldwide collective of companies, innovating collectively for incapacity inclusion. We’re delighted to associate with Wheelchair Accessibility Journey Specialists, like Cory Lee, on International Accessibility Consciousness Day (and all yr spherical) to share accessible journey ideas and higher serve all travellers’ wants.

Associated