DPTAC
Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee

Access Travel
Holidays for disabled persons

Disabled Holiday Directory
Directory of holiday services, accommodation and advice

Good Access Guide
Directory of accessible leisure pursuits, holidays and travel, transport, mobility products, and daily living services for disabled people, their families and friends

Jubilee Sailing Trust
Sailing adventures for people of all physical abilities

These sites have been discovered by websearch, rather than personal recommendation. Please feel free to comment on their usefulness.

Many thanks
David

Here's another website for you all, run by a C5/6 Quadriplegic.

This site has reviews of accessible holidays reviewed by people who are disabled.

http://www.apparelyzed.com/wheelchair-traveller.html

Regards

Simon

Would I be correct in thinking C5/6 relates to the part of the spine where the 'damage' is? if so, what sort of movement would that allow ?

Hi Askcy,

Yes, I broke my neck in a car crash, and I am paralysed from the 6th Cervical vertebrae downwards.

A more detailed description of my abilities can be found here:

http://www.apparelyzed.com/support/functionality/c6.html

Regards

Simon

http://www.autism.org.uk - National Autistic Society
Publish leaflets about travelling with an autistic person (Under the DDA Autistic Spectrum Disorder is classed as a disability) and some holiday ideas

There was an article in yesterdays paper about a new company which arranges packages for disabled people and their friends and families at lots of destinations around the world. I`ve had a look at the website and it looks very interesting http://www.enableholidays.com

If you are travelling with a disabled or special needs passenger or you require special services yourself, you must make sure that when you book your holiday it is part of the contractual obligations and not put down as a special request. Special requests on a Confirmation Invoice do not form part of the contract but are merely what they state - requests.

You must also ensure that you complete a Special Needs Form and check with the tour operator and the airline that they have received these. It is always worth contacting the airline a day or so before departure to ensure that they are aware of your needs, for example wheelchair facilities, dietary facilities, etc. If they have not received the paperwork or they are unaware you can arrange to fax them a copy of your copy of the Special Needs Form.

It is important when booking your holiday, if you are taking a wheelchair if you check that the hotel or self-catering accommodation that you are going to has ramps and that the space between the doors and especially in the bathroom area is large enough to accommodate a wheelchair. You should therefore give the dimensions of the wheelchair you are intending to take to your tour operator for them to check with their accommodation managers as to whether the accommodation is suitable. This should be done before you enter into any legally binding contract.

For some people it may be necessary to obtain a Fitness to Fly Certificate from your doctor. It is important that you ascertain whether anyone travelling with you who is ill or severely disabled is fit to fly or travel and that this information is obtained from their doctor BEFORE booking the holiday.

PLEASE NOTE:
UK legislation in respect of discrimination against disabled persons DOES NOT APPLY outside of the United Kingdom and disabled travellers should be aware that there are many countries in the world who do not recognise the rights of disabled persons and it is local law which is applicable if you are discriminated against whilst abroad by a foreign national. You should therefore take great care where you are travelling to.

HELPFUL WEBSITES

Enable Holidays, a travel company for disabled people, their family and friends, has an endorsement from Scope, the national disability charity. http://www.enableholidays.com/

Written by Michael Coatesworth. A wheelchair user himself, Mike has written about his findings and treatment by various hotels, airlines and Tour Operators. He has also given his opinion on how 'wheelchair friendly' various places are. http://www.coatesworth.co.uk/

A wide range of holiday accommodation, hotels and self-catering throughout England and Wales. http://www.johngrooms.org.uk/

Disability World
Excellent site covering a huge range of subjects that are alphabetically listed. http://www.disabilityworld.com

Access Travel Ltd http://www.access-travel.co.uk/

SENSE (The National Deaf-Blind and Rubella Association) Good holiday programme for deaf/blind children and young adults. http://www.sense.org

Vitalise (formerly Winged Fellowship Trust) is a national charity providing services for disabled and visually impaired people. They aim to offer choice through our enabling environment whilst providing essential breaks for carers and inspirational opportunities for volunteers. http://www.vitalise.org.uk

Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation http://www.radar.org.uk

The Holiday Care Service is an excellent source of information on travel and support for those with disabilities and older people, or their families, friends and carers. http://www.holidaycare.org.uk/

A small organisation that helps provide holidays for about 1,000 deprived families a year. This can include those affected by disability, poverty, illness, abuse or poor housing. http://www.fhaonline.org.uk/

This is a specialist tour operator covering the United Kingdom, most of Europe, North America, Scandinavia and cruising holidays. It can organise flexible, tailor-made travel and all the accommodation it features is wheelchair accessible http://www.canbedone.co.uk/

Using the Blue Badge parking permit abroad - click here for details of validity and restrictions in various countries.

David

Can be Done holidays as recommended by one of our members.

We found our first disabled holiday accommodation abroad by accident on the internet and took the risk, which turned out to be lucky. Our son Christopher is a disabled wheelchair user, and we now love to go on holiday, but were frightened for many years.

While looking for our next break we have found an apartment that is "disabled friendly", but the bathroom doorway is too narrow for a wheelchair to fit through.
We also found another that is perfect, were it not for the six steep steps leading up to the front door.

We are building up a free resource of disabled friendly accommodation that is only reviewed and recommended by a disabled person, family member or carer (No spin).

We need people to send information of where they have been and give us some feedback about them. If they have some photos that would be great as we all like to know what other places look like.
Our aim is that many other people in the same situation will also benefit from all we can collect and show.

We are collecting this information at http://www.wheelyaccessible.co.uk which is non profit and independent.

Thanks

I've just seen a website for holidays for the disabled in Nerja. (It comes up if you Google supported holidays Nerja.)
I have no connection with the company but someone mentioned it to me and I took a look. I was so impressed that I just thought I would mention it on here.

roquetas de mar in almeria is a perfect place for disabled people i supply numerous products scooters,wheelchairs to name but a few.firstfourmobility.com

Using the Blue Badge parking permit in Europe, see - Reciprocal Recognition of Parking Badges

The link provided by David (above) no longer works.

Peter

I've used (and loved) Mobility International, USA

their mission: Empowering people with disabilities around the world to achieve their human rights through international exchange and international development.

they also run the national clearinghouse on disability and exchange.

good stuff. thanks for this excellent thread!

may i draw your attention to this website for disabled air travellers.
http://www.disabilitytravel.com/airlines/air_carrier_act.htm
this is a summary of THE LAWS that air carriers must abide by. quite simply they cannot discriminate against you because you have a disability. makes very interesting reading and also useful to remember the name "air carriers access act of 1990" which you can quote if you feel you are treated unfairly.

The website linked to immediately above appears to be a US site referring to US legislation.

David

my apologies for the US link. i have now found the UK/EU department for transport code of practice which sets out very similar rules to the US version.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/access/aviationshipping/accesstoairtravelfordisabled.pdf

after searching the web for .gov sites for disabled travellers i came accross these:
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/disabledpeople/travelholidaysandbreaks/gettingthere/dg_4017242
http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/your-rights/rights-in-different-settings/air-travel/
http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/download_your_rights_to_fly_.pdf
http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/publications/ehrc_your_right_to_fly.pdf