How Accessible is Accessible when travelling?

I have just returned from 10 wonderful nights in Ibiza with my parents and 5 year old twins. We created wonderful memories that will last a lifetime.

It has however reminded me just how challenging travel can be when you're travelling with someone who has a disability.

My mum is a wheelchair user, and whilst airports and airlines offer assistance, there are parts of the journey that many people never see or have reason to think about.

Using special assistance means heading straight to the assistance desk after check-in. It's absolutely the right thing to do, but it also means giving up the freedom that most travellers take for granted. Browsing the shops, grabbing a coffee at your own pace or simply wandering around the terminal before your flight often isn't an option because you're working to the assistance team's timetable.

Then, after landing, despite being promised that her wheelchair would be waiting at the aircraft door, it wasn't there. My mum’s wheelchair is specially adapted to her specific needs and is in essence her legs. She also finds it incredibly degrading to be put on a buggy and driven through the terminal. And you know what…. she under no circumstances should be made to feel that way. Watching my mum struggle when the support we'd arranged wasn't available was upsetting and completely avoidable. 

This isn't about pointing fingers or complaining. The airport staff and assistance teams work incredibly hard, often under huge pressure.

It's about raising awareness.

For most people, travel is exciting. For those with disabilities, it can also be stressful, exhausting and full of uncertainty. Small oversights can have a huge impact on someone's dignity, independence and overall travel experience.

As someone who works in the travel industry, this experience has made me appreciate even more how important accessibility is. It's not an added extra or a nice-to-have. It's an essential part of making travel possible for everyone.

Here's hoping we continue to see improvements, because everyone deserves to start and end their holiday with the same excitement, confidence and respect.

Have you travelled with a family member who requires assistance? I'd love to hear about your experiences and what you think could make the journey easier?