International Travellers with Disabilities

By law, U.S. air carriers must comply with highly detailed regulations affecting people with disabilities, which do not cover foreign carriers serving the United States. However, all U.S. and non-U.S. carriers are required to file annual reports of disability-related complaints with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The DOT maintains a toll-free hotline (1-800-778-4838) 7 am to 11 pm Eastern time to provide real-time assistance in facilitating compliance with DOT rules and to suggest possible customer-service solutions at the point of service to the airline involved (including foreign carriers). Carriers may not refuse transportation to people on the basis of disability. Airlines may not require advance notice that a person with a disability is travelling; however, they may require up to 48 hours' advance notice for certain accommodations that require preparation time.

Internationally, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) member airlines voluntarily adhere to codes of practice that are very similar to U.S. legislation that takes provisions of the International Civil Aviation Organization into consideration (see bibliography). Smaller airlines overseas may not be IATA members. Airlines are obliged to accept a declaration by a passenger that he/she is self-reliant. Medical certificates can be required only in specific situations, such as possible communicable disease, stretcher cases, oxygen requirement, or unusual behaviours possibly affecting the operation of the flight. When a disabled person requests assistance, the airline is obliged to provide access to the aircraft door (preferably by a level entry bridge), an aisle wheelchair, and a seat with removable armrests. Aircraft with <30 seats are generally exempt. Airline personnel are not required to transfer passengers from wheelchair to wheelchair, wheelchair to aircraft seat, or wheelchair to lavatory seat. Disabled passengers who cannot transfer themselves should travel with a companion or attendant, but carriers may not without reason require a person with a disability to travel with an attendant. Only wide-body aircraft with two aisles are required to have fully accessible lavatories, although any aircraft with >60 seats needs to have an on-board wheelchair, and personnel must assist with movement of the wheelchair from the seat to the area outside the lavatory. Wet-acid batteries in electric wheelchairs may require special separate stowage and require early arrival at the airport. Airline personnel are not obliged to assist with feeding, bodily functions, or providing medication to travellers. Internationally standardized codes for classifying disabled passengers and their needs are available in all computerised reservations systems. These passengers should use travel agents experienced in the use of the disability coding; it is critical that appropriate codes and inter-airline messages are sequentially entered for all flights. The delivering carrier is always responsible for a disabled passenger until a subsequent carrier physically accepts responsibility for that passenger.

Service animals are not exempted from compliance with quarantine regulations and so may not be allowed to travel to all international destinations. U.S. companies or entities conducting programs or tours on cruise ships have obligations regarding access for travellers with disabilities, even if the ship itself is of foreign registry.

The medical preparation of a traveller with a stable ongoing disability does not differ from that of any other traveller. The key to safe, accessible travel is that each anticipated international itinerary must be assessed on an individual basis, in consultation with specialized travel agencies or tour operators, as well as print and Internet resources with specific expertise in this area.

Useful links

  • MossRehab ResourceNet. http://www.mossresourcenet.org/travel.htm
  • New Horizons Information for the Air Traveller with a Disability. Full text at http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/publications/horizons.htm
  • Non-discrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel. http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/rules/rules.htm
  • Society for Accessible Travel and Hospitality. http://www.sath.org/index.html?section=Travel%20Tips%20and%20Access%20Information
Bibliography
  • A World of Options (A Guide to International Exchange, Community Service and Travel for Persons with Disabilities) Editor: Christa Bucks. 3rd edition. Published by Mobility International U.S.A. Eugene, OR
  • Convention on International Civil Aviation. International Civil Aviation Organization. http://www.icao.org/cgi/goto_m.pl?/icao/en/download.htm#Docs

- David Freedman

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