The accessible travel news roundup was a longtime feature of this blog, but it ended during the pandemic. I am excited to bring it back — these weekly roundups, published on Mondays, will highlight interesting and important stories from the past week that are worth sharing, but not suited for dedicated, long-form coverage on this website.
Accessible travel and industry news from around the web:
- Airline Accused of Baselessly Denying Boarding to Disabled Traveler — OMAAT reported that a father and daughter were refused transportation on an Air China flight from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to Beijing due to what the check-in agent referred to as an "abnormal health condition." The daughter, who had experienced developmental delays and epilepsy, is 18 years old and had traveled many times before. In my view, the carrier violated the Air Carrier Access Act and it is my hope the USDOT will issue a strong penalty. Carriers do not have the right to discriminate on the basis of disability.
- Public Art Exhibit Showcases Work by Disabled Artists at Indianapolis Airport — The Indianapolis Airport Authority is presenting a monthlong exhibit which includes 80 art pieces from local artists within Indiana Association of Rehabilitation Facilities member organizations. The exhibit celebrates diverse artists, including those with physical and intellectual disabilities. Art gives us a window into the minds of creators, and it looks amazing. If you're interested in this story, also check out the museum dedicated to disabled artists which I visited in Belgium.
- City of Chicago Awards 5-Year Contract Extension to Curb for Centralized Wheelchair Taxi Dispatch — The City of Chicago has entrusted taxi dispatching company and mobile app provider Curb to manage the city's fleet of wheelchair accessible taxis with ramps for the next 5 years. The company boasts a 95% completion rate for wheelchair taxi rides, which is higher than in most other cities. All wheelchair taxi vans in Chicago have side-entry wheelchair ramps, which increases safety and accessibility for riders.
- New sensory room at Salt Lake City International Airport — An increasing number of airports are investing in sensory-friendly rooms for disabled flyers, and I'm a huge supporter. These investments make travel more accessible for a larger number of disabled people, and a relatively small investment can go a long way.
- After suing the DOT to block disability rights, Delta sent a presss release patting itself on the back — Last week, I reported on how the Airlines for America trade group and 5 U.S. airlines are suing to block the DOT's expansion of protections for disabled airline passengers. Delta Air Lines is one of the carriers involved in that lawsuit. Not long after the suit was filed, Delta attempted to deflect attention through a press release in which it highlights the steps it has taken to improve accessibility. There's nothing wrong with those efforts, but they are not enough. Disabled passengers still get less than their nondisabled peers, and that needs to change.
