As a wheelchair user who has traveled across multiple nations, I’ve picked up a few pointers and secrets along the journey. This includes discovering tips to smooth the airport arrival process, travel hacks, and much more! Additionally, you must also visit website of the hotels where you plan to stay to ensure that they are wheelchair-friendly.
If you are a wheelchair rider new to traveling, the following wheelchair travel tips should make your next trip a little easier.
How can wheelchair users make the most of their travel experiences?
Arrive at the airport as early as possible.
Most airlines advise reaching the airport in at least one hour for domestic and two hours for international flights. As someone who uses a wheelchair, I typically add at least one hour to the suggested time. Remember, you don’t want to sprint to your terminal with only a minute left on the clock. It happened to me, and I can assure you it’s not fun. And since I can’t go through security like others, I always have a pat-down, which takes longer.
Request bulkhead seating.
Call the airline when booking your travels and inform them that you use a wheelchair and seek assistance. Furthermore, if you want bulkhead seating, make sure to request it. The bulkhead is the first row of economy class. These seats are typically more spacious than the standard economy class seat, making boarding easier.
Verify the voltage at your hotel.
When traveling internationally, always check the voltage at your location before leaving. The voltage in the United States is 110 volts, although most other countries use 220 volts or higher. If you, like me, use a powered wheelchair and need to recharge it in a foreign place, a converter and an adapter may help, but I haven’t had much luck with converters.
To avoid any damage to your wheelchair, I would strongly advise you to get a 220-240 volt wheelchair adapter before embarking on your vacation.
Reserve any transportation in advance.
Wheelchair-accessible public transit is offered in some cities. That magnificent list includes major cities like Sydney and London. However, the unfortunate reality is that many metropolises do not provide as much accessible transit as they could. You can find out if there are accessible cabs or accessible public transit by doing preliminary research online.
Planning as much as possible ahead of time will save you time once you arrive. If you can’t plan everything ahead of time, at least schedule your accessible transportation to and from the airport.
Before you travel, look into wheelchair repair shops in your location.
You will be swiftly covered if something happens to your chair if you are sufficiently prepared and study repair businesses at your location before leaving home. This will save you valuable holiday time and enable you to spend it visiting museums and other exciting sites rather than searching the web at your hotel.
Touring with a wheelchair is not impossible and can often be delightful. The more you travel, the better you will be able to refine your approach to making the movements as effortless as possible. These suggestions are merely a starting point.
Make a record of your observations and travel advice while you travel so that you may recall them on your future trip. Remember, each scenario and place is unique. Happy Traveling!
