Travel Advice and Safety Tips

Travelling with a disability is now commonplace and there is no reason why this should pose serious problems if good preparations are made. Adapting to unexpected situations is part of the challenge of travelling but advance knowledge of facilities available during travel and at your holiday destination can be very important.

Preparing For and Planning Your Trip

When choosing your destination, research and consider important factors such as climate, language and culture beforehand.
Consider any particular health concerns you may have such as dietary changes as a result of different foods and flavours and discuss with your doctor if necessary.
It is useful to take a list of all your medication with you in case it needs to be replaced while you are away.
Make sure all your property eg luggage, wheelchair is fully labelled with your contact details.
When booking your holiday, ensure that you book with a reputable travel agent, ideally with experience in organising travel for people with disabilities.
Let the full extent of your disability be known and what your requirements for travel will be eg travelling with your wheelchair, food requirements.
Make sure you are provided with written confirmation of everything the travel agent assures you it will provide you with - assistance boarding, aisle seats, disabled toilet facilities etc.
If you only need your wheelchair or scooter for covering distances, it may be easier to rent one at your destination.
Never travel without appropriate travel insurance.
Pack a spare pair of glasses (if you have one).
If you have a long flight and are concerned about deep vein thrombosis, consult with your doctor before flying.
When booking accommodation, make sure that wherever you have booked is accessible and meets your needs eg ground floor room, swimming pool accessible. Insist on written confirmation.
When booking a flight, passengers with disabilities should notify their airline when booking if special facilities are required.
Some airlines in Dublin Airport provide wheelchair assistance as part of their passenger handling service so it is important to inform your airline if you require special assistance. Other airlines outsource this service to One Complete Solution Limited, an independent company providing various support services on request. There are some occasions where this service must be booked in advance (01-814 5906 or OCS Duty Manager (24 hours) 087 760 2477) as travelling may fall outside OCS operational hours.
Easy-access car parking spaces are provided on the ground level of the multi-storey short-term car park ( Short Term Parking B) for both long and short-term stays at Dublin Airport. It is not necessary to book parking online in advance but a valid disabled parking permit must be presented at the entrance to Short Term Parking B to access these services. Designated long-term parking is also available in the long-term car park and reduced rates also apply. For more information, contact the car park division of Dublin Airport at 01-814 4828. Drivers must display a valid disabled permit at all times.

Your Journey

If travelling with a powered wheelchair or scooter, find out whether your specific battery type is permitted on board. Lead acid/wet batteries may be subject to air travel restrictions and intending passengers should contact their airline prior to travel to check the suitability of their battery for carriage. Attach directions for removing your batteries, so if they need to be removed, it will be done correctly.
If your powered wheelchair is operated with a joystick, see if it can be removed for safekeeping before the wheelchair is handed over to baggage staff. It could get damaged in transit which will cause you much inconvenience.
It is important that people with disabilities are allocated appropriate seating for their journey. When you notify your airline of your needs when booking your flight, they may allow you to pre-book your seat
When checking in, check with the staff that the same assistance you require for departure will also be available at your destination.
Most airlines will allow passengers travelling with young children, older people and people with disabilities to board first. Make sure you arrive at the airport early enough to avail of this if required.
If you are bringing prescription medicine, you should bring the prescription with you to avoid embarrassment at airport checkpoints.
Ensure you drink plenty of water during your flight to avoid dehydration.
If you encounter difficulties when travelling by air and you wish to make a complaint, the Air Transport Users Council in the UK have published guidelines on How to Complain about and Airline or Airport.
Other useful publications include Access to Air Travel: Guidance for Disabled and Less Mobile Passengers by the Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee in the UK.

Upon Arrival

Do not wear or display expensive jewellery that could make you the target of unwanted attention.
If you buy medications overseas, remember the dosages may be different to the brands you are familiar with.
If unsure, drink bottled water rather than risking the local tap water.
Avoid carrying all your money/travellers cheques and/or credit cards in the same place. A money belt is one of the best places to carry your money and passport discreetly.

Useful Resources

Accessible Holidays
Irish company offering tailor-made accessible holidays for people with disabilities to Tenerife, Lanzarote, Majorca and Italy.
Accessible Holidays
9 Shelton Grove
Kimmage Road West
Dublin 12
Ph: 01-455 5675
Email: jpgeraty@eircom.net
Accessible Ireland
Accessible Ireland is a website that grades accommodation, restaurants, pubs, visitor attractions, venues,transport and amenities in Ireland according to their accessibility.
www.accessibleireland.com
Accessible Journeys
American website containing information (often from personal experience) on travelling in the US and worldwide with a wheelchair.
www.disabilitytravel.com
Access Tours
American organisation specialising in all-accessible tours of the American West.
www.accesstours.org
Access-Able Travel Source
American website which contains comprehensive information on access information and resources for mature travellers and travellers with special needs.
www.access-able.com
Accessible Travel and Leisure
Irish and UK travel agent specialising in holidays and travel for people with disabilities worldwide.
www.accessibletravel.co.uk
Accessible Kiwi Tours (New Zealand)
New Zealand tour company offering holidays for older people and people with disabilities.
http://www.toursnz.com
BOC Medispeed
BOC Medispeed can cater for tourists in need of Home and Ambulatory Oxygen when in Ireland.
www.bocgases.ie
Disabled Access Holidays Ltd
Disabled Access Holidays is a website with information on accessible holiday accommodation in Europeand beyond.
www.disabledaccessholidays.com
Emerging Horizons
Emerging Horizons is a magazine (available online) about accessible travel from a consumer point of view.Its primary focus is travel for people with mobility disabilities; everybody from wheelchair-users to slowwalkers.
www.emerginghorizons.com
Egypt for All
Company offering specialised travel for people with disabilities to Egypt.
www.egyptforall.com
Holiday Care
UK charity offering holiday and travel information in Britain and overseas for people with disabilities and older people.
www.holidaycare.org.uk
Let's Go Costa Brava
Spanish company offering accommodation and excursions in the Girona - Costa Brava - Pyrenees areas for people with disabilities, older people and their families.
www.letsgocostabrava.org
Sunshine Supported Holidays
Private company offering supported holidays on the Costa del Sol in Spain for people with disabilities and older people.
www.sunshine-supported-holidays.com
Undiscovered Britain
Website offering tours and packages in Ireland and Britain, and general accessibility information for people with disabilities travelling in Britain.
www.undiscoveredbritain.com
When We Travel
When We Travel is a website that lists wheelchair accessible hotels from around the world as well as providing information on finding wheelchair accessible hotels.
www.whenwetravel.com