Travel Tips for the Mobility-Challenged

Mark Raymond, Jr., was settled in his airline seat, ready for takeoff, when he looked out the window and saw the unthinkable. “We watched my wheelchair fall off the conveyer belt,” he recalls.

Since that experience, Raymond, who lost the ability to walk after a shallow diving accident in 2016, has learned to advocate for himself, including educating airline and other transportation people on how to push the chair, get him out of his wheelchair onto the small aisle chair used to transport him to his seat, and how to transport his chair safely to his destination.

“I’m not relying on their training,” he says, although he has learned that communicating his needs with patience usually pays off. He’s also the CEO and founder of the Split Second Foundation, a New Orleans-based resource and advocacy group for families impacted by disability.

In 2022,  the National Household Travel Survey reported that of the 18.6 million Americans, ages 5 and older with self-reported disabilities that limited travel — almost half (41% or  7.7 million) were ages 65 and above.

For them, resources like Raymond’s Split Second Foundation, a host of government resources and tips from Raymond and others in the know, are making it easier to hit the road or skies and enjoy the time away.

Travel Resources and Info

Among the resources, programs and protections to know about:

Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA): This law makes it illegal for airlines to discriminate against any passenger because of their disability. The protection applies to all flights to, from or within the United States.  The Department of Transportation enforces it.  This page has details what is required in terms of accessible bathrooms, movable aisle armrests, space for storing folding wheelchairs in the cabin, and other information. This page provides information for resolving problems, including hotline numbers and hours of operation.

Train Travel: Likewise, trains make accommodations for those with special mobility needs. A wheelchair traveler, John Morris, a triple amputee after a car accident, lists multiple tips and suggestions here. He covers not only trains, but airlines, buses and subways.

Traveling with Oxygen: The American Lung Association has educational and practical tips for traveling with oxygen, whether by air, bus, train or car. Good to know: You can use an FAA-approved portable oxygen concentrator aloft, and some airlines offer in-flight oxygen for a fee. However, using compressed gas or liquid oxygen on the plane is not allowed. Make arrangements ahead for air travel; you may need paperwork from your doctor or you may need to fill out the airline’s medical information.

Most buses and trains allow personal oxygen devices on board. When traveling by car, secure the oxygen unit on the floor or the seat beside you. On the seat, secure it with a seat belt.

Plan ahead for cruise travel, too, telling them you will be traveling with oxygen. To find cruises especially for travelers on oxygen, google “cruises for people on oxygen.”

More travel tips

Raymond, who is also an accessibility consultant, and Emily Nabors, a spokesperson for the National Council on Aging (NCOA), an advocacy group for older adults, had a variety of other tips on how those with mobility issues can have smoother travels.

• Check ahead of time to see if the ride share companies at your destination have wheelchair accessible vehicles, Raymond says, especially if you’re traveling to a smaller city.
• Check hotels to see if not only rooms are accessible, but public areas.
• Plan everything well in advance, Raymond adds. It’s common advice, but especially holds if you need accommodations to help mobility.
• Check out the program, TSA (Transportation Security Administration) Cares, Nabors says. It offers a variety of services, such as expedited airport screening if needed for travelers age 75 and beyond.
• The NCOA list a host of other travel tips
• Travelers who are deaf, hard of hearing or deaf-blind can check out the requirements of the Air Carrier Access Act that apply to them.

YOUR TURN

What’s your best travel tip to overcome mobility issues?

Kathleen Doheny is a Los Angeles-based independent journalist, specializing in health, behavior, fitness and lifestyle stories. Besides writing for Senior Planet, she reports for WebMD, Medscape, MedCentral and other sites.  She is a mom, mother-in-law and proud and happy Mimi who likes to hike, jog and shop.

This article offered by Senior Planet and Older Adults Technology Services is for informational purposes only and is not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding any medical condition. If you think you may have a medical emergency call 911 immediately.