disability travel guide. advice on travelling with a health issue

Welcome to the Drink in the Sights Disability Travel guide. Here you'll find honest advice on travelling with a health issue from two of my frequent flying friends which we all hope you'll find useful.

With any trip planning is essential to ensure you have the best possible time. I have friends who love to book last minute and go wherever the wind takes them, and I do think there's some merit to this. However having heard tales of them thinking they were going to Vienna and finding out it's actually Venice when they arrived at the airport, or ending up in hostels covered in bullet holes in Riga I think I'll stick to planning in advance. This becomes more important if you're travelling with a health issue which means you need certain requirements like wheelchair access or a ground floor room. 

I'm not going to pretend to be an expert on travelling with health issues and that's why I've enlisted the help of my very well travelled friends Steve and Tracey. So for the rest of this page I'll leave you in their very capable hands.

Disability Travel Guide by Steve

Travelling with health issues means that you cannot just go away at the drop of a hat. You have to plan and research your trip well in advance. Our findings in this area over the years include:

1) Using the internet to research where you are planning to go. As an example, If you’re in a wheelchair you don’t want a lot of hills. Most places have webcams so use them to get a feel for your destination. There will also be other visitors comments on websites to give you an idea of suitability. A lot of health conditions have support groups in your intended destination that will be able to offer advice, so use them. They will enjoy being used as it gives them a purpose.

2) Check you can get travel insurance at a price you will pay.

3) When booking flights contact the airline to confirm what assistance  you will need. There is a legal requirement on them to provide equality of access. It also prevents any last minute issues. Some offer priority seat booking and extra luggage if contacted in plenty of time.

4) All airports offer assistance to passengers with health problems. This ranges from fast tracking through security to assistance with luggage from your car, and getting you in to your aircraft seat. Airport websites will give details of what is offered and how to arrange it. In Spain there is a dedicated team at each airport that you contact via a paging system when you arrive for your flight. They then come to collect you and your baggage and take you all the way through to departures. This prevents a lot of effort and concern. Tipping isn’t officially allowed but I always quietly slip them €10 to say thank you.

5) Check that your chosen hotel is suitable for your needs. An e-mail to enquire will prepare you and them. Use the internet to find out which hotels best match your needs. There are travel agents that specialise in travel for people with health issues and they can be a good source of accommodation, although booking via them is very expensive.

6) Prepare for your trip well in advance. Make a list of things you need to take and tick off when you pack. Some medications and implants require a passport but this will have been issued during prescription. Take it with you.

7) Explore and enjoy your destination and post your comments on on-line travel sites. Share your experiences and encourage others to travel.

8) I have only ever found unfailing kindness when travelling abroad with a health problem. Treat people kindly and they will reciprocate. Particularly the French.

Travelling with a Health Issue by Tracey

​1.All airports have a special assistance team which I've always found to be really helpful and very friendly.

2. Make sure you research any countries vaccination requirements. Some medications aren't compatible with some vaccinations. This especially applies to long haul destinations. Some countries such as Dubai and the other UAE countries require you to obtain permission in advance to bring your medication into their country. You'll need a letter from your GP/Consultant, your prescription, and only take the amount you require for your trip plus a few days in case of delays. You may be asked to show them on your arrival.

3. Some countries don't always have air bridges at their airports meaning the only way off an aircraft is down the steps, ambu lifts aren't always an option either at some airports and then it's a case of being carried down the steps by a up to 4 airport staff. Strapped into a high back ambulance type of chair. It's a bit scary but you just have to relax and trust them. I've never been dropped and have had this experience at several airports throughout the Caribbean and Kenya.

4 Ask for a taxi transfer from the airport to your hotel for your ease and comfort if your booking a package holiday ​

5. Although you may have asked for special requirements/requests when you book a holiday/hotel those requests may not have been granted by the time you check in. IE: Ground floor room,lift access,wheelchair accessible bathrooms. However in my experience when this has been the case we've always been upgraded without our request and at no extra cost to us once they have realised during check in. We've ended up in some of the most amazing suites as a result of this so don't panic. ​

6 Be especially careful to make sure you obtain a wheelchair accessible cabin if required when booking a cruise. As in normal cabins you cannot get a wheelchair through the bathroom door let alone into the bathroom/shower itself. Also bare in mind that you have to store your chair in the cabin and that Cruise ships only have so many wheelchair accessible cabins. 

7 I always call the relevant airline as soon as we've booked a flight and speak to their Special Assistance Team(they've all got them). Nearly all of them will ask for the weight as well as the dimensions your wheelchair when open and closed both in centimetres and inches so be prepared with a tape measure. They'll also ask if it's a manual propelled one or motorised. If it's a motorised wheelchair or mobility scooter they'll ask for the battery type and other details as well as dimensions. They will usually book a suitable seat for you and your travelling companion. Usually it's free of charge, but some do charge for your companion.

Some airports/airlines do allow you to stay in either your own wheelchair or scooter until you get to the plane door before putting it into the hold for you, If you can't physically walk to your seat all aircraft's have a aisle wheelchair to take you to your seat.

Most airlines will return your wheelchair/scooter to the aircraft door upon your arrival. However some don't so you have to use the airports own wheelchairs before your flight, after check in and on your arrival until you get to the carousel to collect your own from there. 

You will be escorted through passport control,customs and to the baggage reclaim. The assistance staff usually take you to the front of the queue for passport control. They will also help you to retrieve your luggage from the carousel and onto your onward transport. ​

But the most important thing is to enjoy your trip.

I hope you find this disability travel guide and the advice on travelling with a health issue useful. I'd just like to take this opportunity to thank Steve and Tracey for their contributions to this page and I hope people find it useful. Airports, hotels and attractions will usually go out their way to meet your needs and ensure you have the best possible time so try not to let anything put you off. Travelling with a health issue or disability doesn't have to be hard work, it just takes a little extra planning sometimes.