INCLUSIVE TRAVELBy: Zel Iscel, Erin Marshall Erin Wood Jodie Archer and Brie Glassborow

OUR PROJECT OVERVIEW

This project explores the things to consider in regards to flights and accommodation, when travelling with a disability.

The information will also be useful to carers, family, friends and the wider community when travelling with a person who has a disability.

It will be made available to view and for feedback at:

www.inclusiveworld.com.au

FLIGHTS AND ACCOMMODATION FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Our project focused on five separate disability groups.

Firstly Brie Glassborow will be talking about travelling for people with a physical disability, focussing on wheelchair use.

Next, Jodie Archer will be talking about travelling for people with behavioural challenges.

Thirdly, Erin Wood will be talking about travelling for people with an intellectual disability.

Then, Erin Marshall will be talking about travelling for people who are blind or vision impaired; and

Lastly, Zel Iscel, will be talking about travelling for people who are deaf or hearing impaired.

TRAVEL CONSIDERATIONS FOR ALL DISABILITY GROUPS

For people with disabilities the challenge may begin well before starting the actual journey. For this reason, it is recommended to

consider in advance some of the problems which could arise. In this way you will improve your chances of enjoying a trouble-free trip.

If you have any concerns, talk to the airline and hotel before you book.

Be at the airport in plenty of time to avoid rushing and

queues.

FLIGHT TRAVEL USING A MOBILITY AID(WHEELCHAIR)

There is a general rule amongst Australian airlines where mobility aids must fit within the following dimensions: 

33cm x 91cm x 106cm Weight of approximately 30.9kg per mobility aid (free of charge) Limit to 2 pieces of mobility aids per person (free of charge) 

If weight or number of mobility aids is exceeded, charges will apply. 

FLIGHT TRAVEL USING A MOBILITY AID(WHEELCHAIR)

Australian airlines and airports are bound by the Disability Discrimination Act (1992) to provide services for people with disabilities. Each airline will have different policies but the majority of Australian airlines will accommodate those using wheelchair aids.   

It is important to discuss your level of assistance with your airline to ensure that you receive maximum service.

The airline will need to know the following details: 

• What type of mobility aid are you traveling with? Is it manual or battery operated?• If your aid is battery operated, what type of battery does it use? • Is your aid collapsible?• What are the dimensions of your mobility aid, in both collapsed and non-collapsed

format?)

Battery operated mobility aids MUST be approved by the airline before your flight due to safety regulations, and declared as “Dangerous Goods". There is usually a limit of 1-2 wheelchair passengers per flight.  

GETTING AROUND THE AIRPORT IN A WHEELCHAIRThe usual arrival times for flights are 1 hour before take-off for Domestic Travel and 2 hours for International Travel. 

It is important for those using Wheelchairs to allow 30 minutes extra in addition to the usual check-in times, in order to check-in your mobility aid as well as your luggage. 

When you arrive at check-in you may choose to either surrender your mobility aid there, or at the departure gate depending on what type of mobility aid you use.

If you are using a battery operated electric wheelchair you will need to surrender your aid at check-in and the airline will supply you with a suitable aid to use around the airport. 

If you are using a manual wheelchair that is collapsible, you may surrender it at check-in, or surrender it at the departure gate where your wheelchair will be collapsed and stored inside the overhead aircraft baggage compartment.  

Most Australian airlines will supply curb side assistance for those using mobility aids.

Let your airline know when you will be arriving and you will be welcomed by an airline assistant equipped with a suitable wheelchair for your use.

Staff will not be able to assist you with transfers in and out of vehicles, so if you need assistance ensure that you have someone with you to assist during the transfer. 

  

MOVING AROUND INSIDE THE AIRCRAFTTRANSFERS

Passengers who are able to self transfer may do so in their own time.  Passengers needing support to transfer to and from their mobility aid to the aircraft seat can request the use of lifting devices, including slings, slide boards and an eagle lift which airline staff can assist with. Eagle lifts are available at Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide airports. 

Passengers exceeding 130 kilograms will require assistance from their own support person as airline staff are not permitted to assist due to safety regulations. 

 Wheelchair accessible toilets are not available on all Australian aircrafts so it is best to confirm what arrangements can be made to access these facilities. Larger aircrafts will have wheelchair accessible toilets. 

If you are unable to self toilet you are advised to arrange a support person to assist you. Airline staff are not able to provide personal care for passengers, but are able to assist during the transfer into the toilet. 

Some Australian airlines have privacy curtains outside the toilet so the door can be left open for a support person to assist if needed. If you are not physically able to use the toilet provided by the airline there are continence aids available to suit your needs. These may include continence pads or pants, uridomes, pans and urine bottles. However, these are not supplied by the airline. 

 

TOILETING

OTHER CONSIDERATIONSNot all planes have an aerobridge so it is strongly recommended that all wheelchair users let the airline know in advance that this will be required, so that suitable arrangements can be made. (Some smaller airlines may charge a fee for this depending on your needs). 

Passengers requiring additional torso straps and / or harnesses need to inform the airline prior to boarding the flight so that staff can ensure they are on-board. 

Travel insurance is strongly advised for passengers using mobility aids, to ensure that their equipment is covered in the event of damage or loss. 

USEFUL WEBSITES

http://www.qantas.com.auhttp://www.virginaustralia.comhttps://www.choice.com.auhttps://au.hotels.com

 

TRAVELLING WITH SOMEONE WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

• You can contact NICAN (National Information Communication Awareness Network) by phoning: 1300 655 535 to get discount fares for you and your carer.

• When booking your flights , you have a duty of care to inform them of the potential risk to others. e.g. potential outbursts.

• Ensure that you have travel insurance when paying for your flights.

TRAVELLING WITH SOMEONE WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

• You should have a good understanding of the individual you are assisting on the flight.

• What triggers certain behaviours and outbursts and the role you play.

• What tone and manner you should use when talking with the individual and dealing with an issue.

• How to engage with the individual and know how to reassure them without getting in their face.

• Make sure to take things that will occupy the individual on the flight. e.g. books, magazines, an iPad or iPod.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO MINIMISE THE RISK TO OTHERS

• To make it easier for everyone on the flight (and in particular the individual you are caring for), great care needs to be taken when choosing a person to assist them on their flight.

• Whoever is chosen, needs to be someone that the person relates to and respects. They should have the skills to be able to re-direct the person they are caring for, should or could an issue arise.

• Medication may be required on an “as needed” basis, either prior to or during the flight. This will help to subdue anxiety levels, but is not the answer all the time. (The companion should be able to decide when or if this is needed).

• Ask to be seated either at the back of the aircraft or in an area that is not heavily populated. You may even choose a later flight, so as to minimise harm to others.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO MINIMISE THE RISK TO OTHERS

• It may be a good idea to introduce yourself and the person you’re caring for, to passengers near you. Explain to them that this person may get anxious when and if certain things happen. By doing this, passengers are then informed and aware of what may happen.

• Gauge the individuals behaviour and interactions and only intervene if required. If necessary, be the mediator between the individual and others.

• Following these suggestions will ultimately make it easier for the individual you are accompanying and a more enjoyable flight for all.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES OF TRAVELLERS WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIOUR

“Society think we are either drunk or on drugs!”

“I have been confined and minimised as I was seen as a threat to other people on flight!”

“Australian Federal Police were there to greet me when we landed as I was seen as unsociable and unfriendly. I have schizophrenia and had just had a medication change, which had a severe affect on my ability to problem solve”.

“Society does not understand the complexities of multiple diagnoses which impacts on one’s ability to function”.

“There is a stigma attached to people with mental health and behavioural issues”.

“Individuals have been abused and assaulted by the public, as they do not realise that the individual has a disability”.

USEFUL WEBSITES

http://australliaforall.comhttp://cangoeverywhere.com.auwww.humanrights.gov.auwww.mobilityequipmenthiredirect.comhttp://nican.com.au

(Nican also has a Phone App)

Issues Around Flights &

Accommodation

Overwhelmed with knowing where to find information

Expenses

Communication Barriers

Change of environment

Time Management

Staying safe and unharmed

PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

HOW DO INTELLECTUALLY DISABLED PEOPLE GET AROUND THESE

ISSUES?One of the greatest ways to get around these issues is to ask for help. You could ask your family members, carers, or if possible Local Area Coordinator (LAC).

These people could liaise on the individuals behalf and there are organisations who allocate funding for those who require a caregiver.

Flash cards (cards containing a small amount of information, either held up for people to see, or as a learning aid) are a really useful tool to have when travelling. They allow you to indicate to people your requirements and intentions and are especially useful when a care giver is not available.

ISSUES AROUND FLIGHTS AND ACCOMMODATION WHEN YOU HAVE AN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY

One of the main issues people have, is becoming overwhelmed with knowing where to find information and then finding too much information!

• The cost of travel insurance may be quite high • Expenses could become unmanageable• Due to a lack of understanding and experience these people could easily be taken advantage of

Communication barriers could be a large setback with public attitudes playing a big part. Liaising with other people could be a problem, as they may have difficulty in understanding each other.

A change of environment and being unfamiliar to everything around them, could lead a person with an intellectual disability to be stunned. It could become very confusing and the person may not know how to tell the time or how to keep track of timetables.

These individuals may not understand the loudspeakers or intercoms at airports and may become confused with accelerated speech.

People such as air hostesses or hotel staff may not realise that these people have a disability and may not understand what is happening in a given situation. They may need assistance.

Most people with intellectual disabilities may find unsteady surfaces challenging to walk on.

They may also need more protection and supervision than others, so as to not hurt themselves or others.

ACCESSING FUNDINGFUNDING OPTIONS

• Commonwealth Respite Services provide funding to support Carers to have a break. They also fund the individual needing care to stay with other Carers.

Ph: 1800 052 222

• Time Off and Planning Program (TOPS). Available through Perth Home Care Services. If you qualify for this funding, it can mean $500 each towards your holiday for yourself and your carer.

• Individuals can apply for a Centrelink Loan. Ph: 136 240.

• An individual may be able to get a grant through Lotterywest, or sponsorship through their Local Shire.

www.leisureoptions.com.auwww.inclusionwa.org.auwww.e-bility.com/accesstravelwww.disabledworld.com/travel/australiawww.disabledtravellers.com

USEFUL WEBSITES

TRAVELLING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR VISION IMPAIRED

There are certain things you can do, to make your trip easier, these include:

• Notifying others about your needs – inform your travel agent and airline that you are a person with a visual impairment.

• If you have a service animal plan for possible restrictions – some countries either do not allow service animals or have quarantine restrictions.

If you are unsure whether this will affect you, call your local association. In Western Australia, a suggested contact is “Visability” Ph: 1800 847 466.

• Ask questions – If you cannot see a monitor or find a gate at the airport, ask a Customer Service Representative for assistance.

• If you use a cane, utilise it – this helps to inform others that you are visually impaired.

TRAVELLING FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE BLIND OR VISION IMPAIRED

• Pre-board and bring carry on luggage – Avoid the hassles of crowds by arranging to pre-board the aircraft and if possible, bring only carry-on luggage, which will save you a trip to the baggage claim terminal.

Passengers with a service animal, do qualify for pre-boarding.

You can organise to pre-board the aircraft, by contacting your airline.

• Suitcases – It is recommended that you try to remember it’s type and where possible, colour. It may be helpful to attach a certain sticker or ribbon to your suitcase. This will help you or anyone assisting you, to easily identify your suitcase.

• Curb side Check-In – Some airports offer a shuttle system, people movers, moving walkways or curb side baggage check-in. This assists with the movement of travellers with a disability and others, when moving their luggage between parking lots, terminal buildings and gates.

SERVICE ANIMAL REGULATIONSWhen booking your ticket, make sure to notify your travel agent that a service dog will be accompanying you in the cabin area. It is also helpful to provide the dog's size and weight.

Passengers with a service animal cannot be denied any seat, unless the animal obstructs an aisle or other area that must remain clear in case of an emergency evacuation.

Harnesses, collars and leashes can set off the alarms at security gates. Security guards who are not familiar with service dogs may be uncertain how to handle the situation.

Try to avoid sedating your dog as drug reactions may differ at high altitudes and can lead to illness. Do not feed your service animal just before departure, especially on longer journeys and for everyone's comfort, relieve the dog prior to boarding.

An Assistance Animal Relief Room at O’Hare Airport in Chicago

“VI” VISUALLY IMPAIRED TOURS

White Water Adventure - Borneo Cooking In Thailand

In 2008, George Booth a Perth Travel Agent, addressed a conference in Singapore on Disabled Travel and says: “I determined from then to select a group of travellers and assist in their travels”. In consultation with Greg Madson, “VI Tours” was born and the group went on their first tour in February 2010 to Singapore.

“VI” VISUALLY IMPAIRED TOURSGeorge says: “I quickly realised that if I was going to design a travel tour for those without sight, I had to establish criteria.”

This became:

• The visually impaired or blind person must be accompanied by a sighted companion

• I must incorporate content that appealed to their other senses i.e. Sound, Taste and Smell

• Travel destinations had to be affordable, as the visually impaired or blind person often has to pay for their sighted companion.

The tours usually comprise around 30 persons. 15 who are sight affected and 15 sighted companions.

Ages ranged from 25 to 60 years and people are generally very independent and adventurous.

“VI” VISUALLY IMPAIRED TOURSGeorge says: “Most people can’t believe that blind people will travel. But our tours incorporate some very important things, such as:

• When I board a flight with vision impaired people, I let the Flight Service Director know that I have a vision impaired group on board and I take them and a crew member around to all of their seats.

• I have found that most three to five star hotels have policies on assisting disabled travellers.

• We show travellers their rooms, so that they know where the facilities are, but we don’t bother to switch on the lights or open the curtains.

• We show travellers where the dining room is on the first day and from then on they make their own way there.

• If they have a white cane, it is important that we brief the tour operator not to grab at them when disembarking a coach, as visually impaired people are usually quite confident at this.

• If you are leading a blind person you should use your hands to indicate when you are going through a door or into a confined space”.

PROFESSOR SIMON DARCY ON “ACCESSIBLE TOURISM”

http://universaldesignaustralia.net.au/2015/11/accessible-tourism-the-economics-and-business-case/

USEFUL WEBSITES

https://www.casa.gov.au/standard-page/travel-tips-people-who-are-blind-or-vision-impaired

Special thanks to Greg Madson and Erika Webb, for agreeing to be interviewed for this project and for the use of some images on their website http://gam-industries.com.au/

Thanks also to George Booth for his input.

ISSUES AROUND TRAVELLING AND DEAFNESS

The main issue when discussing travelling with deafness, is the communication difficulty caused by the inability to hear speech.

Some deaf people can lip read, but this is not a reliable form of communication. Therefore, the best form of communication is Sign Language.

There is a strong deaf culture and some towns have a hub where deaf people can socialise.

One example of this is The Auckland Deaf Club, where deaf visitors have reported having a good experience of feeling welcome in New Zealand.

WHEN PREPARING TO TRAVEL

Contact the local organisation for the hearing impaired for the address of a local counterpart agency at your destination.

Check whether this agency have a TTY(Text Telephone) and an interpretation service if needed.

Communicate with the airline and make sure they can cater to your needs. (This can include important information being available in Sign Language, or organising on-board staff who can use Sign Language).

Make arrangements when travelling to and from the airport in advance.

WHEN PREPARING TO TRAVEL

Communicate with the hotel to check that they have visual products available.

If the hotel does not stock these items, there are portable visual alert systems available through most Medical Supply Stores.

(These devices flash a light when the phone rings or a fire alarm sounds, and they can vibrate a pillow when an alarm clock goes off).

Some hotels have in room TTTY (Text Telephone) units and closed caption televisions.

Make sure to take a notepad and pens with you, so that you can communicate with people who don’t use Sign Language.

Pack extra batteries and hearing aids, just in case one is lost or broken.

For more deaf travel tips, you can visit:

http://www.deafwebsites.com/deaf-culture/deaf-travel-tips.html

FLIGHTS

Some Airports now have installed Assistive Listening Systems and Visual Notice Boards listing arrivals, departures and gate numbers.

In-flight entertainment now has captioning in their films.

Hearing Aids may need to be turned to a low volume or off altogether, as their may be interference caused by the planesfrequencies.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCES

Kyle Sterry a deaf man from the U.K. drove around America and took a helicopter ride around the Grand Canyon.

He said: “Audio is provided through the on-board headphones, which was no good to me, so I missed out on what was being said”.

Alternatively, he then visited the Hoover Dam and joined an organised tour to go inside the Dam. Part of the tour had pre-recorded information and he was able to acquire a transcript of the recording.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCESAlexy Dury visited the Jack Daniels Distillery in the U.S.

He couldn’t get a Sign Language Interpreter but was advised that had they known in advance they would have organised one for him!

He said: “It put me off Jack Daniels for several months!”

If you would like to read more of these stories, please visit:

http://deaftravelworld.com/regionstories.php?continent=Australasia

OUR CONCLUSIONS• Learnings

We’ve learnt about the varying needs of different disability types. A lot of information is available, but there is significant room for improvement.

Don’t forget this will be made available to view and for feedback at: www.inclusiveworld.com.au