Hey, everybody!

The “vacation season” began with Thanksgiving Day in the US and continues worldwide with the celebrations of Creation, Christmas, Chanukah and New 12 months’s Day quick approaching — it’s an thrilling time to be with family and friends, and one of many busiest journey intervals within the 12 months.

Yesterday, I took to the skies for the primary time in practically a month after battling a chilly or flu bug that basically knocked me for a loop. The illness stored me from my household throughout Thanksgiving, however I’m comfortable to be visiting with them in Florida now (sadly, the turkey is lengthy gone!). My subsequent few weeks will likely be bit hectic as I make journeys to Tennessee and Georgia, which I sit up for sharing with you.

Vacation Air Journey Ideas and Assets

If you’re planning to journey this vacation season, remember to learn my Wheelchair Consumer’s Information to Accessible Air Journey. With the overall variety of U.S. airline passengers now eclipsing pre-pandemic figures, airports are positive to be hectic and it’s vital to reach early for check-in.

Many TSA airport safety checkpoints function devoted lanes for wheelchair customers, so remember to make the most of them the place accessible. In case you’re new to touring with a incapacity or would really like additional help on the checkpoint, you possibly can request to be met by a TSA Passenger Assist Specialist by calling the TSA CARES Helpline prematurely of your journey. It’s an usually neglected profit that’s free to make use of. In case you’re a frequent traveler, it’s best to look into signing-up for TSA PreCheck, which permits wheelchair customers to skip the airport safety pat-down. As a World Entry and PreCheck member for practically a decade, I’ve handed by means of many safety screening strains with ease and effectivity.

Street Journey to the Duke College Lemur Heart in North Carolina

I not too long ago traveled with my girlfriend to the campus of Duke College in Durham, North Carolina for a tour of the Duke Lemur Heart (DLC), an award-winning analysis heart that’s house to greater than 200 lemurs — probably the most numerous inhabitants of the primates outdoors of their native Madagascar.

We attended the DLC’s All About Aye-ayes Wild Workshop, which targeted on one of the crucial distinctive lemur species (aye-ayes). The night tour was intimate (our group numbered six folks complete) and offered a possibility to study all about aye-ayes and to make treats which analysis heart workers fed to a fortunate lemur.

The treats we created have been loved by Nirina, who got here to the DLC simply over one 12 months in the past. The 19-year-old lemur was born at Ueno Zoological Backyard in Tokyo, Japan earlier than transferring to the San Diego Zoo and most not too long ago the DLC.

Whereas not all excursions provided on the DLC are wheelchair accessible, many excursions together with the year-round Basic Tour are accessible because of paved pathways, accessible routes and a wheelchair-friendly guests’ heart with accessible loos. The DLC asks that disabled guests attain out prematurely of buying tickets in order that lodging might be made — the DLC group was very useful in our case, and we loved an exquisite expertise throughout our “Wild Workshop” and tour. For extra info or to plan your go to, take a look at the DLC’s web site for upcoming Lemur Excursions and Workshops.

DOT Broadcasts “Landmark” Enlargement of Accessible Air Journey Rights for Wheelchair Customers

Earlier this week, the U.S. Division of Transportation launched a last rule that can require airways to satisfy extra rigorous requirements for accommodating wheelchair customers and passengers with disabilities. This rule, along with the historic $50 million advantageous levied in opposition to American Airways for mistreatment of disabled flyers, will likely be key items of Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s legacy on the Division of Transportation.

On Tuesday, the Secretary held an occasion at DOT Headquarters in Washington, D.C. to debate the brand new rule, which will likely be efficient on January 16, 2025. You may watch a recording of Sec. Buttigieg’s remarks right here:

Earlier this 12 months, I mentioned the proposed rule at nice size with readers of this article over a sequence of Accessible Journey Chats which you’ll watch on YouTube on the following hyperlinks:

Some highlights of the ultimate rule, which you’ll learn it its entirety on the DOT web site, embody the next:

• Publication of Info Associated to Plane Cargo Holds: Airways should present the related dimensions of the cargo holds for all plane sorts operated by the provider on their web sites. (In case you don’t wish to wait, take a look at my Record of Airplane Cargo Door Dimensions on WheelchairTravel.org, which was printed practically a decade in the past).
• Reimbursement of Fare Distinction: If a passenger touring with their very own wheelchair is required to e book a dearer flight than the one desired because of airplane cargo maintain dimensions, the provider should reimburse the passenger for distinction in fare.
• Secure and Dignified Help Normal: Airways should present protected and dignified help to disabled passengers, with the rule defining “protected” as help that doesn’t put them at heightened danger of bodily damage, and “dignified” as help offered in a way that respects a passenger’s independence, autonomy, and privateness. I sit up for testing what the DOT considers to be violations of this rule.
• Enhanced Coaching for Airline Personnel and Contractors: The rule requires annual coaching, together with hands-on coaching, for airline staff and contractors who bodily help passengers with mobility disabilities or deal with passengers’ wheelchairs or scooters. All airline staff and contractors who present bodily help or deal with wheelchairs/scooters should obtain coaching no later than June 17, 2026.
• Rebuttable Presumption of a Violation for Mishandlings: The rule reinforces that airways should return all checked wheelchairs and assistive gadgets to passengers within the situation during which they’re acquired. It specifies that at any time when a mobility gadget isn’t returned in the identical situation, there’s a rebuttable presumption that the airline mishandled the passenger’s wheelchair or different assistive gadget in violation of the Air Provider Entry Act (ACAA). Some airways have not too long ago begun refusing to restore beauty injury to gadgets (which is commonly an indication of extra vital or structural injury), and this rule ought to render these insurance policies null and void. If I employed an organization to move my automobile and it arrived with scratches and dents, I’d count on to be compensated — the identical is true for airways mishandling my wheelchair!

I’m at the moment working to replace my Air Provider Entry Act Information with the revisions included on this last rule, and can warn you as soon as that has been accomplished.

The November election of Donald Trump because the forty seventh President of the US implies that Secretary Pete Buttigieg’s tenure on the DOT will finish in January. Following the formal nomination of his successor, I’ll assess Secretary Pete’s legacy and provide my ideas on the place accessible air journey coverage is prone to go below the following administration (sneak peek: it’s unlikely to alter a lot, both for good or dangerous).

Remaining alternative to journey with me to Greece

Practically 30 vacationers have signed-up to hitch me on the three wheelchair accessible group journeys to Greece subsequent 12 months — it has been my hottest tour but! I’m excited to discover this stunning and historic land with everybody who has signed up, and it’s not too late to hitch the group!

I’ve ONE accessible room remaining on the Fall 2025 tour, which takes place from September 26 to October 5, 2025. To study extra and to say the final remaining spot, head on over to the Fall 2025 Wheelchair Journey Group Journey to Greece Tour Particulars and Reserving web page. It could be a pleasure to welcome you into our group!

Take care and journey safely this vacation season,
— John