You Ask Us - about Holidays
The following questions first appeared in our members' magazine forward, please click on the question to link to the answer provided by our Advice Line and Advocacy staff.
Q 2 I have heard about a service called Matching Houses. Do you know anything about it?
Q. 5 I will be holidaying abroad next year with my PA. What insurance will I need?
Q. 6 Will I need special documentation for parking when visiting a European country
********************************************************************************************************************************************
Q 1 For a change I am considering a holiday on a narrowboat. I would like to know how I go about obtaining information on narrowboat holidays and names and contact details of companies which supply accessible narrowboats.
A Fortunately there are several companies offering facilities for disabled people to enjoy a holiday on a narrowboat:
Disabled Afloat Riverboats Trust (Glos) www.glosdart.co.uk or 07778 842 358Accessible Boating Association www.accessibleboating.org.uk or 01252 622 520Bruce Wake Charitable Trust www.brucewaketrust.co.uk or 0844 879 3349Vale of Llangollen Canal Boat Trust www.canalboattrust.org.uk or 01978 861450Q 2 I have heard about a service called Matching Houses. Do you know anything about it?
A This is an online service which offers the opportunity for disabled people with similar accessibility needs to exchange houses for holidays. you join the network and describe your house, including its accessibility features, in quite some detail. when you log on to look for a house to swap with, only houses likely to be accessible to you are shown, and likewise your house will only be shown to people with similar access needs.
For further details about the scheme either log on to the website www.matchinghouses.com or email contact@matchinghouses.com or telephone 01736 361871
Q 3 I am planning a holiday in Spain and will need to take my medication with me; is there anything I need to consider or know when doing this?
A It would be advisable to check with the airline whether there are any restrictions on carrying liquids onto the aircraft and also to check with the relevant Embassy or High Commission whether there are any restrictions on taking your medication into the country you are visiting.
If you are taking medication with you when you are travelling abroad, make sure each container is clearly labelled with its contents, preferably in its original packaging. Take enough with you in your hand luggage on the plane to last a couple of days in case you or your luggage gets delayed. A Medical Validation Certificate or doctor’s letter certifying that you are taking prescribed medication would also be helpful. It would also be prudent to take a written prescription with you in your hand luggage – this could prove useful if, for some reason, your medication and you part company.
Q. 4 I have not taken a long haul flight since my accident two years ago and would like information about planning the flight and tips for the flight.
A. Planning is the key to success. Plan as much as possible well ahead. Make sure you inform your travel agent or airline of your specific requirements when booking the flight. They should then inform all the relevant airport authorities who will provide the assistance for your trip.
Ring the airline two days prior to travelling to check that they have arranged the assistance you will need. Also, ascertain their specific procedures. They may give disabled passengers preferential check-in facilities for example. Seats at the front of the plane offer more leg room, however, be aware that you will not be able to book bulkhead seats in front of an emergency exit for safety reasons. Once on the plane, the cabin crew is responsible for the safety of passengers. Pack medication in your hand luggage in case your bags go missing. Take ample supplies of drugs and continence supplies for the flight.
Discuss with your GP preventative measures for deep vein thrombosis (DVT). You can wear compression flight socks and try to do passive exercises as a preventative measure.
If possible, take any spare parts for emergency repairs to your wheelchair. On larger planes you may be able to have your wheelchair onboard as opposed to in the hold. If it’s going in the hold consider purchasing a carrying case to prevent damage to the chair. Never be parted from your cushion.
Try to drink plenty of fluids (non alcoholic). Carefully plan how you wish to manage your bladder care during the flight. Remember you must be responsible for your own personal care. The cabin crew are not there to assist you with toileting needs. Sit back and enjoy the flight looking forward to the holiday ahead of you.
Q. 5 I will be holidaying abroad next year with my PA. What insurance will I need?
A. If you are directly employing a Personal Assistant (PA) you are legally obliged to have employer’s liability and public liability insurance. The former will protect your PA whilst they temporarily assist you overseas whilst the latter covers your liability to others. If you do not directly employ someone but plan to use the services of those who specialise in accompanying people on holiday, then you should check before you travel that they have public liability insurance.
However, another important consideration is how you might cope if your PA is taken ill or is injured whilst you are away. A typical mainstream travel insurance policy will not cover you for replacement care and indeed will often not effectively cover risks specific to disabled travellers. Specialist policies which, among other benefits, specifically provide a replacement carer are now available. One such policy is available from leading disability insurance specialists, Fish Insurance.
SIA would strongly recommend that you take out a specialist travel insurance policy that is suited to your needs. SIA also has a factsheet on Insurance which is downloadable free from the members’ section of the SIA website or from the shop for non-members.
Q. 6 Will I need special documentation for parking when visiting a European country?
A. A standardised European parking card for disabled people has been adopted. If you have been issued with a new blue card, you are entitled to the same parking concessions in other EU member states, and in some other European countries, that are given to disabled residents of those countries.
Always read the concession details for the country you are visiting, and makes sure you apply their rules when you park. Some countries operate local concessions and you may need to enquire locally before you park.
The fold-out back cover of the blue card says, in the language of each country, that you are entitled to park in areas where there are concessions for disabled people. You may find it helpful to leave it open on the dashboard, with your parking card, to explain this to the local enforcement agencies.
If you are in any doubt about your rights, DON’T PARK.
If you wish to find out more about what parking concessions there are for disabled people and the different signage for individual countries, visit www.focusondisability.org.uk/reciprocal-park-europe.html
Q. 7 My son is ventilator dependent and we wish to find suitable holiday accommodation for him and his PA. Do you have details of any facilities which could cater for his needs?
A. Refresh is the joint owner with Vitalise of Netley Waterside House, a nursing-care home in the Southampton area that is specially designed for guests with severe physical disability including those who are ventilator dependent. It is set in beautiful grounds sloping down to the water’s edge, is fully accessible for wheelchair and the staff will ensure you enjoy your stay and have a good holiday www.refreshcare.co.uk
Q. 8 I have been SCI for two years and am trying to find a travel agent who can organise my holiday and travel needs. Can you help?
A. Below is a list of specialist organisations. Some will give information about hotels and resorts, others will provide complete packages.
Tourism for All www.tourismforall.org.ukDisabled Access Holidays www.disabledaccessholidays.comAccess at Last www.accessatlast.comAccessible Travel and Leisure www.accessibletravel.co.ukLiveability Holidays www.liveability.org.ukDisabled Holiday Directory www.disabledholidaydirectory.co.ukRichard Thompson, SIA members and regular contributor to forward, is a Travel Counsellor with 30 years experience in the travel industry. He can be contacted via his website www.travelcounsellors.co.uk/richardthompson
Q. 9 On a recent flight to Bangkok I needed to use the toilet, but when I asked the stewardess to assist me she refused. She said that she wasn’t allowed to help and that I would have to wait until we touched down. Luckily I was able to manage until then, but it made me feel so angry – can I complain?
A. Under EU legislation an airline is obliged to assist you to get to and from the toilet if possible – for instance some planes may have an onboard aisle wheelchair that they will use for this purpose. However, there is no obligation on them to assist you with the actual process of toileting so this is something that you would have to manage by yourself.
As yet there are no universal accessibility guidelines for aircraft, so it is very unlikely you will find one which has a toilet large enough for a wheelchair user to enter or transfer onto. Instead it would be wise to think of alternative methods to manage your needs whilst on board. One method might be to fit a night bag to an indwelling catheter, which will hopefully give you enough capacity to see out your trip. By placing a small ball of Blu-Tack in the sterilised cap that the bag was supplied with, you should be able to replace the cap and create a water tight seal which will hopefully prevent the bag leaking in your luggage when you get off the plane. You can then empty the bag once in the airport.
Write to SIA:
SIA House
2 Trueman Place
Oldbrook, Milton Keynes
MK6 2HH
United Kingdom
Call SIA:
Tel: 0845 678 6633
Fax: 0845 070 6911
Fundraising Hotline: 0845 071 4350
Text SIA followed by your message to 81025
