Travel Providers Strive to Meet the Needs of Disabled Travelers
By : Waylan Smart
For people with disabilities, the world of travel is broadening its
scope to welcome and encourage those who, although physically
challenged, are not being hindered by their disabilities. The U.S. Air
Carrier Access Act (ACAA) of 1986 prohibits airlines from
discriminating on the basis on disability and affects accessibility
features in terminals and aboard aircraft operated by U.S. and foreign
airlines operating to, from and in the United States.
More than ever, travel providers are seeking ways to meet the needs
of travelers with disabilities. Recently, Detroit's Northwest Airlines,
Wayne County Airport Authority and Checker Sedan, the official luxury
sedan service of Detroit Metro Airport, completed training sessions
with staff from Leader Dogs for the Blind of Rochester. The group met
specifically to learn how to meet the special needs of the blind and
disabled when they're traveling.
"The Wayne County Airport Authority is totally in support of the
efforts of Leader Dogs for the Blind to help our contractors and
tenants - airlines and ground transportation providers - to be aware of
the needs of the disabled," said Michael Conway, public affairs
specialist at the airport. Positions, such as sky caps, who provide a
high level of customer service and assist travelers, play key roles in
helping travelers with disabilities reach their gates on time or
receive the assistance they require.
Checker Sedan, which provides luxury sedan transportation at
Detroit Metro, participated in the daylong session. The transportation
provider has two converted vans with a portable ramp and wheelchair tie
downs that can accommodate those who use power wheelchairs or
wheelchairs that don't fold and won't fit in a vehicle's trunk.
"Our hope is that we can train these companies so they can be aware
of what they are doing," Stafford said, "It's not hard at all to
provide service to a disabled passenger; it's just a matter of
information."
Some examples of disability etiquette include:
- Talk to the person, not to the person he or she is with.
- Call a person by name, not by a disability.
- Ask a disabled person if he or she needs help and how.
- Don't put a blind person in a wheelchair just "because it makes it easier for you to help them."
- Do not talk more loudly to blind people; their hearing is not impaired.
"Basically, you treat a person with a disability with respect and dignity as you would any other customer," said Stafford.
The hope is that a little basic information provided by Leader Dogs
will go a long way. Travel providers usually find that travelers with
disabilities appreciate the efforts of airports and companies who are
familiar with the most beneficial ways to assist disabled passengers,
if necessary. Those improvements not only make things better for
disabled people, but can actually improve service for anyone.
Soave Enterprises is a diversified management and investment
company founded by Detroit businessman Anthony L. Soave that provides
strategic planning, financial and other management resources to its
affiliated business ventures in the real estate, automotive retailing,
beer distribution, scrap metal, industrial services and transportation
industries, among others.
For more information on Anthony Soave and Soave Enterprises, please
visit http://www.soave.com.
Author Resource:- Soave Enterprises is a diversified management and investment company founded by Detroit businessman Anthony Soave that provides strategic planning, financial and other management resources to its affiliated business ventures. For more information on Tony Soave and Soave Enterprises, http://www.soave.com
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