Wheelchair Bound Doesnt Mean Land Locked

Just because you are in a wheelchair does not mean that you are limited to where you can travel. Because of the American Disabilities Act and many other pieces of legislation, more and more companies have altered how they do business to accommodate wheelchairs. Hotels, restaurants and airplanes especially have become more cognizant that they need to cater to this traveling niche. Of course, wheelchair traveling is not without its problems. However, planning ahead can help you forestall some of them.

Each mode of transportation carries its own problems and concerns. Therefore you will want to call in advance of booking your trip to ensure that your needs with the wheelchair can and will be accommodated. For instance, when flying one of the first concerns is whether your airplane will be boarded by a jet way. And if there is no jet way, how does the airline plan to assist you to the aircraft? How accessible are the lavatories in the airplane? Will be able to get consideration on seating such as a special aisle seat?

Will you have to check your wheelchair in through luggage or will there be room to stow it within a special compartment in the airplane cabin? If you have to check your wheelchair, it might be a smart idea to add extra insurance to protect against damage as airlines are not liable usually past $750.

Other options to think about include cabs or wheelchair accessible vans that can be rented. How will you get around your destination? And if traveling to rural areas, you will want to check the bed and breakfast or other accommodations to ensure that your wheelchair can be accommodated and that there are ramps and elevators.

When you are making your travel plans, always allow for extra time at each place. Even though most facilities these days are wheelchair friendly, there are always snafus that you should make allowances for. And you might want to consider hotels with restaurants as that might make maneuverability easier on you.

It is important to have your wheelchair thoroughly inspected before setting off on your trip. Take the time to ensure that all the parts on your wheelchair are working perfectly. If your wheelchair should happen to break during your journey, you might have a hard time getting it repaired. In addition, it might be advisable to bring a small kit for repairing tires if you have the pneumatic variety.

Traveling with a wheelchair is not difficult. It just carries its own special set of circumstances. Just like with luggage, you want to have the proper identification on it to ensure that no one takes off with it from luggage claim. There have been instances where the airline did not deliver the wheelchair in a timely manner to the disembarking area and the chair was stolen. Therefore, put some identification on it that is easily identifiable. You might even want to consider engraving your information into part of the steel framing just in case any identification tags or labels come off.

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