Airport Assistance and Accessibility

Its that time of year again when we start thinking about vacations or holidays as we call them   Last year was the first time i flew since my SCI and as i was travelling alone airport assistance was a much needed requirement.

I thought it would be a good idea to share member's experiences of airport assistance as its an one of the important factors to consider when looking at possible holiday destinations.

So i really only have the experience of two airports to relate my experiences to, Manchester Airport here in the UK and Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada.

I found the assistance at Manchester Airport very helpful indeed. There was assistance available immediately from booking in to getting on the plane. I had my own assistant on hand and who was very helpful, thoughtful and friendly.
It definitely made the first part of my journey manageable and less stressful.

At Toronto Pearson Airport the assistance wasnt ideal. There were not enough staff for the passengers using wheelchairs...the staff tended to not address the passengers and communicate what was happening. I had to mention to one member of staff to remember to talk to individuals before wheeling them off on what seemed like a conveyor belt of moving us from one place to another.
Then people were asked if they can get out of their chairs to climb on the back of the passenger vehicles...lol crazy  

I do want to add that it would have probably been a better experience at Toronto Pearson if i was in my own chair that i could self wheel.

So please chip in guys with your experiences as they will help others on their potential journeys 

Considerations that all airports should ideally facilitate:

Ease of access to parking near the terminal.

Ease of access to medical aid facilities and travellers aid stations.

Accessible restrooms.

Accessible drinking fountains.

Accessible ticketing systems at primary fare collection areas.

Amplified telephones and text telephones (TTs) for use by persons with hearing and speech impairments (there must be at least one TT in each terminal in a clearly marked accessible location).

Accessible baggage check-in and retrieval areas.

Jet ways and mobile lounges that are accessible (at airports that have such facilities).

Level entry boarding ramps, lifts or other means of assisting an individual with a disability on and off an aircraft.

Information systems using visual words, letters or symbols with lighting and colour coding, and systems for providing information orally.


The above points were taken from a website called: Flying with a Disability. Its a great site that gives practical advice on pre planning, medical assistance, your rights and more. Its definitely worth a read for any impending travel 

To visit their site please click Here