Traveling With a Disability
A Little Knowledge Can Lessen Hassles of Travel with a Disability
Traveling can be difficult and stressful for anyone. If you have a disability, a little extra effort and planning can make your trip much more enjoyable.
If the hassles of traveling with a disability are enough to make you want to give up your dreams of visiting new and exciting places, take heart. There are new laws concerning PCAs and other steps that you can take to make your trip much more hassle free.
Traveling With a PCA
On January 10, 2008, the Canadian Transportation agency passed “One Person, One Fare,” a ruling that severely disabled passengers will not have to buy an extra ticket for their personal care attendant. The free fare will not be available for disabled persons who simply want company during the flight nor will it be available to those disabled persons who need assistance on the ground before and after the flight, but not during the flight.
Unfortunately, the “One Person, One Fair” ruling is only in place in Canada and only applies to domestic flights. Airlines in the U.S. still charge for the attendant’s seat. Hopefully, major U.S. carriers and other countries will soon follow the CTA’s lead.
The three major Canadian carriers have one year from the date of the ruling to comply and to come up with a suitable way to determine just who is disabled enough for the policy.
When traveling with a PCA, it is important to take their comfort into consideration as well. Yes, the attendant is traveling with you to make things easier for you, but remember that travel is a stressful time for everyone. Give your attendant regular breaks, do not expect her to automatically know everything about your trip and try not to make things more difficult for her. Little considerations, such as asking your PCA where she would like to go out for dinner or giving her some time alone to enjoy the hotel’s pool, can go a long way toward making your trip a more enjoyable one.
Traveling With a Service Animal
Traveling by air with a service dog in tow can be quite a challenge. Airlines cannot deny access to any passenger with a guide dog or service animal, provided that the animal has proper identification. This could include vet records, the dog’s pedigree, a harness or simply the assurances of the passenger.
When booking your flight, talk to the ticketing agent and let her know that you will be traveling with a service dog. It is helpful to let the agent know the size and weight of the dog in order to best seat you. A small dog could possibly fit under your seat, giving it a more secure ride, whereas a larger dog would need to be situated in the bulkhead of the plane where it would have more room to lay down. Although an airline cannot legally deny a passenger with a service dog any seat, the animal can’t be blocking an aisle or any other emergency exit area.
Security can also be challenging. The tags, harness or leash of a service animal could set off the security alarms. The best way to deal with this is to put your dog on a long leash and tell him to “stay” while you pass through security. Then call the dog to you. This will make it clear to personnel that the dog is setting off the alarms.
Passengers with disabilities are often allowed to pre-board the flight, or get on the plane before the other passengers. This makes boarding easier on the dog in that he has more freedom to move through the plane.
Lastly, do not feed your dog immediately prior to boarding and, for everyone’s comfort, allow him to relieve himself before the flight. It is also recommended that you remove your dog’s harness while in flight to prevent it from catching on the seat or any objects around the seat.
