Premium Travel for The Disabled
As many disabled travellers will know it can be difficult to navigate your business trip or holiday, especially if you’re a wheelchair user.
At Simplexity Travel, there are no travel requirements, accessibility needs, or passenger desires too difficult for us. Our Travel Managers thrive on making all of our customers happy. We spoke to Doug Smith, cruise sector employee and author of The Dis “Ability” to Cruise? for some advice for other disabled travellers. So whether you’re travelling as – or with – a disabled passenger, we look at key points to think about for your next trip.
Travelling with a medical condition and/or disability
Before your journey, it’s always advisable to think about the conditions of where you shall be travelling to and staying – and if they pose any risk to your health or condition.
Getting to the airport
Transport to the airport is one of the first hurdles for everyone. We at Simplexity Travel have a wealth of experience in this area, so have no fear. A Travel Manager will book and orchestrate a taxi that is suitable for you and your belongings to be transported safely and timely to the airport and back. We will ensure the car is of an adequate size and that the driver is able to assist you with getting in and out of the car.
Boarding
Your personally designated Travel Manager will be able to book and arrange airport assistance ahead of your arrival. This can be provided from the moment you check-in, through to escorting you onto the aircraft, ensuring the early stages of your trip are as smooth, and stress-free, as possible.
Similarly, with cruise ships, most will have an attendant with a wheelchair who will assist in bringing the passenger onboard the ship. You can get assistance if you’re disabled and travelling on any of the following:
- a cruise ship that’s leaving from a port within the EU
- a ferry that’s leaving from or going to a port within the EU
- a local ferry service, e.g. by river bus
But should you have any concerns regarding boarding assistance, your Travel Manager can ensure all necessary help is ready and waiting for your arrival.
Taking your wheelchair abroad
Whether you’re travelling on the Eurostar to Brussels, a Caribbean cruise, or taking a long-haul flight to New York City, your Travel Manager will ensure that your wheelchair (and any other medical essentials) are able to be taken onboard. Wheelchairs can’t be taken into the passenger cabin of a plane but will be stored in the hold for the duration of the flight. Your Travel Manager will speak to the airline on your behalf so that help is provided when boarding. It’s these kind of travel requirements that take some careful planning in advance, and here is where our Travel Managers come into their own.
Navigating transport at your destination
Travelling in a country you’re not overly familiar with can be a bit daunting and whether your there for business or pleasure, it can be an added hassle. Why not lighten your proverbial load by speaking to a Travel Manager? Perhaps you want to take to the road and drive along the winding coast of the South of France and need a disabled car. Not a problem. Your Travel Manager will source the very best provider possible at your chosen destination.
Maybe you want to take to the seas of the Pacific Ocean and explore the Polynesian islands from a yacht that’s suitable for your physical requirements? Consider it done. Whatever your criteria’s demand, wherever you want to go, your Travel Manager will make it happen.
Accessible hotels and restaurants
Another essential point to tick off your travel list is accommodation and places to eat. Doing your own research to find out if hotels at your destination are wheelchair accessible can be frustrating, time-consuming and tricky, especially if the websites are in a foreign language. The same applies to restaurants.
These concerns can easily be addressed by your Travel Manager who can provide you with a list of options for hotels that are wheelchair friendly. In regards to restaurants, your Travel Manager can even create an itinerary for your whole trip compromising of only the best restaurants and cafes that are accessible for patrons with wheelchairs.
Get in touch with a Simplexity Travel Manager to talk through and plan your wheelchair-friendly adventure today.