Do you love to travel but have been putting it on the back burner because you’re not sure how manageable it will be while using a wheelchair or scooter? Does the thought of arriving at a destination rife with accessibility challenges make you shudder? Traveling with mobility challenges can be a little scary but with proper planning and a little flexibility, you can have the vacation of your dreams. I am Raquel Molina and I have limited mobility due to rheumatoid arthritis. I also frequently travel with my mom who must use a scooter whenever more than a short walk is required. Below are my eight favorite tips for traveling with a wheelchair or scooter that can make your journey less stressful and more fun!
TIP 1
RESEARCH YOUR DESTINATION
One reason that I love cruising is that as a person with mobility concerns, I am confident that the cruise ship will be able to accommodate my needs. Even though my mom owns her own scooter, sometimes when sailing she will rent a scooter and have it delivered to her cabin just for the sake of convenience. However, whether you use your own or rent one, be sure that your mobility scooter meets the size requirements of your cruise cabin. Many cruise lines do not let you store your scooter in the hallway so you must be sure that it will safely fit inside your cabin.
For land based vacations, you want to research things like the terrain, elevator access, ramp access and distance between the things you want to see and do. This is especially important when traveling out of the United States as many other countries do not have the same level of accessibility accommodations that we have come to expect in the U.S.
Pro Tip
I use Google Maps to get an actual street view of the location I am planning to visit. This has been extremely helpful in the past. Using Google Maps helped me rule out an Air BnB in London that I was considering with my mom. Even though it was listed as a first floor unit, upon looking at the street view I noticed that there we actually steps going down from the street to the front door. There is no way that we would have been able to get my mom’s scooter down those stairs.
TIP 2
REQUEST “SPECIAL ASSISTANCE” WHEN BOOKING
When booking your flight or train travel, be sure to indicate that you will be traveling with a wheel chair or scooter and also state what type of assistance you will need from staff once you arrive. This helps the airline or train operator ensure that they will have staff there to meet your needs. Some train stations in Europe will have a special attendant with a moveable ramp ready and waiting for you but you MUST let them know ahead of time or you may not be able to board the train. Also, all rail cars are not accessible so you want to be sure that you are ticketed in the right type of seat.
Pro tip
Many railways offer a special “companion” ticket for someone traveling with a person with disabilities. These tickets are usually offered at the same price as the “accessible” ticket which is usually less than the standard fare.
TIP 3
HAVE YOUR DEVICE INFO HANDY
When traveling with a wheelchair or scooter, at some point you may be asked to provide a description of the device including the measurements and total weight. Many airlines also want to know what type of battery your devices uses (wet cell, dry cell, etc.) and whether it is removable or not, so it’s good to have this info at the ready.
Pro Tip
If traveling out of the country, it may be a good idea to have the specs for your mobility device in metric in addition to imperial. In London I was asked to give my mom’s wheelchair info in kilograms and I’m sure that my on the spot conversion in my head that I provided was far from accurate.
TIP 4
TAKE PICTURES OF YOUR DEVICE
It is a good idea to take pictures of your device with your cell phone before handing it over to the airline crew. These time-stamped pictures will help you in case you have to submit a claim for damage to your device. If you do have to submit a claim, be sure to do it BEFORE leaving the airport. This types of claim is usually initiated in the baggage claim office for the airline.
Pro Tip
Remove accessories from your device before handing it over. This can include the basket, cupholder or any item that can be easily damaged in transit. When traveling with a wheelchair, I remove the footrests as well because even though they can be secured to the chair, I have still had them damaged beyond repair in the past.
TIP 5
WAIT ON AIRCRAFT FOR YOUR WHEELCHAIR OR SCOOTER
If you decide to check your wheelchair or scooter at the gate, be sure it has a special tag on it indicating that it should be brought to the gate upon arrival at your destination. My past experience has shown that things often go awry during this process and mom and I have had to wait thirty minutes or more for them to “find” her scooter. Waiting on the aircraft however, seems to help them connect the dot that the wheelchair or scooter should be brought to the gate.
TIP 6
PRE-ARRANGE GROUND TRANSPORTATION
When possible, it is usually a good idea to pre-arrange your ground transportation. This is particularly important if you are traveling to a foreign country. However, even here in the U.S. not all airports and cruise ports are created equal. Most major cities will have taxis on hand that can handle wheelchairs and scooters. If you are traveling to a smaller city or a destination abroad, it is probably better to have your transportation pre-arranged with a company that you have verified can handle your accessibility needs.
TIP 7
DON’T FORGET CHARGERS AND ADAPTERS
When traveling with your mobility scooter, be sure to keep your charger with you at all times. Batteries can sometimes be finicky and you want to be prepared should you experience an unexpected dead battery. If you are traveling outside of the U.S., be sure to keep an adapter with you as well just in case you need to give your scooter a recharge on the go.
TIP 8
SPEAK UP
Do not be afraid to advocate for yourself when traveling with accessibility needs. The more we speak up, the more modifications will be made to make traveling accessible to everyone.
Your Accessible Cruising Specialist 