Disabled holiday and travel

Traveling with people with disabilities (disabled travel)  is no longer unknown, and recently we have seen a significant increase , so that the tourism industry has started to provide many services and facilities that meet the needs of tourists with special needs and their companions. Similarly, many tour operators and airlines made offers and improved services for its clients in this category. In addition, there is a tremendous abundance of information about services provided to the disabled during travel, which is mostly found on pages and websites that deal with the problems of people with special needs.

However, traveling for the disabled passenger/tourist is still a major challenge for them. Traveling in narrow airline seats, staying in tourist hotels and finding suitable transportation within the destination is one of the most important problems for the travel companions.

For this reason, we offer some important tips that will help people with special needs and their companions avoid many obstacles during travel and tourism:

Make sure to call in advance and book the necessary services you will need during your travel:

The tourism industry and the providers of travel and tourism services are subject to the law which requires them to provide special services and facilities to meet the needs of people with special needs, but most of them need some time to make the necessary arrangements in order to meet the necessary needs of the disabled person, so make sure to contact and reserve before traveling with appropriate period. Contact your service provider 24-48 hours before your flight to ensure that the facilities and services you need are available.

Be precise when describing the disability:

The reason is that service providers may not know the medical term that describes disability and may not seem familiar to them, so make sure to be clear and specific in the description of the disability so that the service provider can provide appropriate services and facilities for the health condition of the disabled person.

Be specific and precise with your doctor when describing your trip:

So that the doctor will provide the appropriate advice and instructions that will help the disabled person to endure the hardships of travel or help in emergency medical cases, so must tell the doctor the number of flying hours and transit hours if needed, and other information on the availability of health facilities and hospitals specialized in the destination of travel and the availability of medicines and drugs Which are needed by persons with disabilities.

Travel with a report from your doctor:

Be sure to carry your medical report in the event of a disability. This report should include information on possible health conditions and complications in your case, so that you can be treated in emergency situations and be sure to carry your doctor's contact details in case of emergency.

Take care of the medicines and precautions you take. It is best to carry two emergency precautions for each medicine and put them in a medicine bag.

Invest in medical care during travel:

Make sure you have the health care you need while traveling. Ask your doctor, insurance company or the embassy to provide you with the names and numbers of doctors and medical units on your destination.

Use travel facilities with medical expertise:

Many agencies and tour operators have become a travel service provider with a lots of experience in dealing with chronic conditions and disabilities. There are also travel companions who are specialized in dealing with specific cases of sickness or disabilities. Therefore, do not exclude the option of using one of the travel specialized  companions in caring for your condition and health.

Avoid transit flights:

Wheelchairs are always the last to get on the plane and the first to be removed from the plane in order to help passengers with motor disabilities to feel more comfortable, but nevertheless the process of ascension and descent of the wheelchair is very cumbersome and takes some time so it is advisable to avoid transit flights so that you do not have to repeat this explanation many times, it is recommended to travel in transit in one case only if the person with disability does not tolerate long flights, in case it is advisable to choose a transit trip where the plane stops between flights sufficiently.

Stay in the airport before your flight:

• In order to be able to end travel and security procedures without delay, people with disabilities need to be at the airport at least two hours before the departure time in case of the domestic flights, and three hours in case of international flights.
• Talk to the hostess until you have a special exit and the plane leaves.
• Do not forget to book a transportation to take you to and from the airport. If you have a wheelchair, make sure to choose a wheelchair-friendly car and make sure to book a car to travel inside.
• Do not forget to carry spare tools and spare parts with you
• Be sure to book with the disability-friendly airlines, hotels, transportation and places you intend to visit in your destination.
• Make sure to have all required manuals related to the special needs travelers.

Wishing you a happy flight and amazing tour.