Friendly Wheels, Issue 40
June 2011

With the warmer weather and kids out of school, people almost always travel more in the summer. Whether it is to a local baseball game, a state park or flying cross country, here are tips to help make travel easier and more accessible.

TRAVEL AGENTS

Using a qualified accessible travel agent can be extremely helpful in planning a trip where the unknown could become a major barrier to enjoying a vacation. Accessible travel author Candy Harrington offers these tips to help find the right travel agent for you.

• Ask a friend who has recently used an accessible travel agent. They will know first-hand what they liked or didn't like about the agent they used.
• Confirm that they're a true accessible travel expert. If they claim to have a certification (such as Certified Accessible Travel Specialist) ask how many hours of training was required to receive it.
• Do they travel themselves? What better way to know if a trip is truly accessible?

AIR TRAVEL

A Contract of Carriage is a document that describes an air carrier's obligation to you, the passenger, in exchange for the purchase of your airline ticket.

Take time to familiarize yourself with its contents. The section that includes information on customers with disabilities will help you determine exactly what obligations the airline is required to fulfill. For example, American Airlines Contract of Carriage includes these sections:

• Special Assistance Coordinators (SAC) are provided to work with those who have disabilities
• Pre-reserved seating
• Assistive devices
• Boarding assistance
• Therapeutic oxygen
• Complaint resolution

View a list of airline Contracts of Carriage.

SEA TRAVEL

"Cruising is an absolutely wonderful way for people with limitations and their companions to travel. The only stress of the day is finding a deck chair close to the pool!" -- Shelley Peterman Schwarz, Amigo owner since 1983.

Read about Shelley's cruise experiences in the "Sailing with Shelley" Friendly Wheels issue.

Flying Wheels Travel offers accessible cruise packages and escorted and hosted trips around the globe -- while they do all the hard work of booking the trip for you.

Amigo owner since 1984, Dan Rashal, from Tel Aviv, Israel said this about his Amigo:

"Amigo not only takes care of my independence in my home environment, but it also gives me great possibilities and freedom to travel all over the world. I wouldn't dare travel without it."

Just in case you've yet to find what you're looking for, here are a few more resources. Explore your surroundings and fully enjoy adventurous (or relaxing) travels this summer.

• Barrier Free Travels
• Accessible Travel Guide links
• Travelin' Wheels blog
• Gimp on the Go
• Access-Able Travel Source

Have other helpful resources not included? Please send them to us so we can add them to our list.

Don't forget to send us photos from your travels this summer or post them on our Facebook page!

Read more Friendly Wheels articles here.