Plane Travel

If you are traveling by air, discuss your limitations with the airline reservations clerk or your travel agent. Airlines offer many special services for persons with limited mobility, such as early boarding, advance seat selection, wheelchairs, and special meals. The following suggestions may be helpful:

1. Avoid rush days and hours.
2. Take day flights whenever possible. Traveling at night can be tiresome and cut into your sleeping time.
3. Allow additional time to make connecting flights.
4. Book non-stop flights or direct flights whenever possible, so you do not have to change planes.
5. Ask questions and give airline personnel opportunity to make helpful suggestions to make your trip more pleasant.
6. If you travel with your own wheelchair, ask about regulations regarding its transportation.

Cruises

Many cruises offer accessibility to persons with limited mobility. Some have built-in ramps and extra-wide doorways, specially designed staterooms for handicapped passengers, and other rooms that can be adapted temporarily. If you are interested in a cruise, the following tips may be helpful:

1. Consider the ease of getting to the point of origin of the cruise.
2. Find out if the ship will dock or anchor off shore and how you will transfer from the ship to a launch to get ashore at various ports.
3. If you use a wheelchair, check with the cruise operator to be sure that your chair meets specifications.
4. If you haven’t sailed before, take a short cruise before signing on for a long one.

Special Tours

From time to time tour operators schedule tours for handicapped persons. You can obtain information on such tours from your travel agent. Before booking any tour, determine the reliability of the tour operator. Check to see if the organization is a member of a recognized tour operator’s body. To be a’ member, tour promoters and agents must conform to certain guidelines.

Generally, it may be easier for you to make your arrangements through a travel agent, who will ask questions about your special needs and make plans for jour trip according to those needs. When you have confidence in your travel agent you can relax about the arrangements and enjoy your trip.