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/

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. https://www.sense.org.uk/content/holidays

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/