SCI Forum Reports
Traveling with SCI
May 6, 1997
"No matter how much planning you did before your injury, you need to do it 10-fold now," said Clark Landis, a man with tetraplegia who travels by air two or three times a year as a member of a quad rugby team. Landis was one of three panelists who shared the ins and outs of traveling with SCI gleaned from years of experience dealing with airlines, hotels, and travel agents. He commented that although the regulations required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are widely known, you still never know what you'll run into. "Get a good travel agent," he suggested. "Some agents specialize in travel for the disabled. If you work with someone who hasn't worked with the disabled, educate them."
Panelist Charlene Curtiss, who has paraplegia and travels frequently, agreed that traveling with SCI requires patience, fortitude, and extra attention to detail. "Prepare for everything to go wrong, even though you planned it and set it up ahead of time to go exactly right," she said. Mike Taylor, a man with tetraplegia, emphasized that communication is the key to successful travel. He makes sure airlines, hotels, and travel agents know precisely what he needs ahead of time, from the width of doorways to the kind of bathroom sink he can use. "Don't take anything for granted," he said, explaining that he never assumes someone else's idea of "accessible" will work for him, whether it's a hotel room, a bathroom, or transportation to and from the airport.
Once Taylor discovered, to his dismay, that the wall sockets in the hotel room he was staying in only took two-way plugs. His power chair has a three-way plug. "Now I always take an adapter when I travel," he said. Adapters are also necessary when traveling in foreign countries. The panelists noted that most hotels do not have commodes or shower chairs available and travelers usually have to take their own or arrange to rent them ahead of time.
All three panelists agreed that, when traveling by air, it's crucial to check in early at the gate. Let the airline know in advance what your specific needs will be once you get there. Ask them to have an aisleway chair ready for you at the gate, and let them know whether you will be traveling with someone or will need assistance (the wheels on aisleway chairs are too small to be reached by the occupant). Aisleway chairs are provided free by the airlines and can be used on board the aircraft for getting to and from restrooms.
Depending on size and weight, manual chairs can sometimes fit into the carry-on luggage closets on aircraft, but power wheelchairs must be stored in the baggage compartment of the plane. Batteries will be removed and put in a special box provided by the airline. Let the airline know before boarding if you want your wheelchair brought to you at the gate when you arrive at your destination or between connecting flights. Since passengers in wheelchairs are usually "first on and last off," panelists and well-traveled audience members agreed that it's best to allow plenty of extra time between connecting flights.
Guest speaker Marcia Stock, manager of airport services for Alaska Airlines, answered questions from the audience and explained the airline's policies and practices regarding disabled passengers. She said that airline personnel make every effort to handle equipment properly, but there are many different kinds of wheelchairs. Providing written instructions on assembly and disassembly of the battery or mobility device is appreciated by the airline personnel handling your equipment and can avoid accidental damage. Landis suggested that people who don't know how to install and remove their batteries "go to a local supplier and have them write the instructions down." Curtiss added that she always carefully checks her equipment for damage as soon as it is returned to her.
Seat selection is another important issue in flight travel. While Landis and Taylor agreed that bulkhead seats provide more space for someone to help with a transfer, Curtiss prefers a regular seat so she can lift the arm rest and stretch out if the adjacent seat is empty. She also insists on an aisle seat with retractable arm rests so she can easily transfer to an aisleway chair to get to the restroom. "Before (aisleway chairs were available), I would crawl up the aisle to the bathroom," she said.
When arranging ground transportation or hotel accommodations, details are everything. Let your travel agent know whether you need an accessible van or can transfer out of your chair into a taxi. Most car rental agencies in the US can provide cars with hand controls, but "find out what kind of hand controls," Landis cautioned. "I've rented cars I haven't been able to drive. Fortunately, I don't travel alone."
When it comes to accessible travel, panelists and audience members agreed that the US is way ahead of other countries. "Whenever I go out of this country, I kiss the ground when I come back," said Curtiss. One audience member noted the difficulties encountered in older European countries where there are no curb cuts, accessible bathrooms, or ADA, and the streets are narrow and cobblestoned. "It's great to visit those countries," he said, "but it's best to have someone with you."