GUIDELINES FOR TRAVELLING WITH PASSENGERS WITH A DISABILITY

Passengers with intellectual impairment, particularly if they are new to travel, may need to be educated about time changes and/or periods of the flight that are considered good times to get some sleep (e.g. after dinner).

Some passengers with upper limb disability may have limited use of their arms, and may require assistance to put on a sleep mask or headphones.

Passengers with mobility issues and/or visual impairments should be provided with extra bottles of water to avoid them having to search for water when thirsty.

Passengers with intellectual impairments should be checked frequently to offer water, with this opportunity useful to educate them about the importance of keeping hydrated and encouraging them to continue to drink water throughout the flights.

Passengers with mobility issues and/or visual impairments should be offered snacks frequently throughout the flight, in order to assist them to stave off hunger and keep their blood sugar levels stable.

Many times, the snacks are located at the back of the plane or around each of the food preparation areas. These locations can prove difficult for some passengers with disabilities to access.

Passengers with intellectual impairments may need to be reminded where the snacks are located.

Passengers with physical and visual impairments should be allocated a seat that allows them to easily access toilet facilities. Passengers with intellectual disabilities should be provided clear instructions about the location of the closest bathroom facilities.

A person with vision impairment should be advised of the direction and number of rows to the closest bathroom. They may also need assistance when the cabin is darkened.

For individuals who need assistance getting to the bathroom, a plan should be developed to contact a staff member to help them when required.

For people who self catheterise, it is important that they are placed near a toilet facility that is clean so that ‘as sterile as possible’ self-catheterisation can take place. It is common for these people to dehydrate themselves so as to prevent having to self catheterise while in flight.

It is important for passengers to move around the cabin every few hours to help the body to avoid issues developing like Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT) and other issues like muscle tension and/or soreness. Obviously this is not possible for some passengers in a wheelchair. However, it is important to communicate with such passengers to see if they have any requests related to ways that staff can help to relieve them of any pressures upon their bodies to avoid pressure sores or any other related issues.

Passengers with vision impairment should be provided with the opportunity to be guided around the cabin throughout the flight by a staff member so that they are able to stretch their legs and move their bodies.

If passengers with intellectual impairment are noticeably inactive over a significant length of time, staff could ask/invite them to get up and move around the cabin, or provide them with the TV channel that provides a demonstration of good exercises to do on long haul flights. There may also be other opportunities throughout the flight to educate them about the necessity or benefits of stretching and moving around, or encourage them to engage in such activities.

Apart from these key areas, it is also important to ensure equipment for passengers with physical and/or visual impairments is stowed somewhere they are aware of and can access comfortably where possible.

Passengers who have short statures may not be able to reach the overhead call buttons as found on most domestic flights, therefore an alternate means of attracting flight staff for assistance should be implemented.

It is important that passengers obtain relevant supporting medical documentation from their treating practitioners regarding medication that are required during the flight and/or medication that will be used while overseas. Different countries have different regulations regarding these and therefore it is imperative that the passengers are aware of, and respect, these laws.

Depending on the travel destination, passengers may also need to check the voltages of all medical equipment they require while abroad as different countries have different voltages and plugs. This may require passengers to purchase a Voltage converter and/or a different plug. It may also be important to check with the planes to see what the voltage is while on board and whether the equipment can be used in flight.

The airline will also need to know of any special dietary requirements. Those passengers with severe allergies should ensure that they inform the airline staff and also carry an Epi-Pen if required.

Passengers should be made aware of the fact that even though the cabin is pressurised, there are still some pressure effects on the body and caution should be taken when flying post-surgery, even minor wounds may bleed. It is also possible that if a passenger has stitches, these may swell and cause discomfort. It is therefore advisable to wear compression clothing if this is the case.

Assistance required by passengers to check in to his/her flight may vary. Many times, however, a parent/guardian/carer has the capacity to help them with this aspect of their travel because this occurs prior to them going through to the “passenger only” sections of the airport.

Some vision-impaired passengers may need to be guided through the check-in line-up and assistance with transporting/loading of luggage on arrival at the check-in counter.

Passengers with intellectual disabilities may require assistance communicating with the check-in staff to ensure that all required documents (e.g. passport; itinerary) are presented and then kept secure once returned.

It would be helpful if the individual was queried as to what assistance they may or may not require at this point of the journey so that relevant help can be provided from the security and immigration checkpoints onwards. This may come in the form of a passport stamp, or by the creation of a coloured “special needs” form being created, with different colours related to different impairments. Such cards could alert the staff throughout the airport, including the flight staff, to the particular types of impairment this individual faces. This could then prompt them to be more mindful as to what limitations they may or may not face.

Assistance may be required for vision-impaired passengers and/or passengers with intellectual disabilities to navigate through the airport in general, as well as through security and immigration checkpoints. Depending on the level of impairment, and the amount of carer assistance they have, transport through the airport to the flight gate may be required from the airline.

Depending on the level of disability, it may be necessary to assist passengers with visual or intellectual disabilities through customs. Care should also be taken with passengers with latex allergies as some countries still use latex gloves for security checks. Passengers are reminded to have documentation regarding prosthesis and may require physical examination rather x-ray screen.

Some people with disability may require assistance to complete legal and administrative forms (e.g. immigration; arrival forms) prior to and/or during the flight. Once a passenger with a disability has been identified, flight staff should ask the individual what assistance they require at the start of the journey so they can plan time for assisting with these aspects of support later in the flight.

Depending on the type of disability and level of impairment, assistance may be required to:

Passengers who have prosthetic limbs may require overhead locker space to store their limbs during the flight. They may also require assistance with reaching the overhead lockers. It is also advisable to place the prosthetic limbs in an accessible overhead locker which will not cause distress to fellow passengers when they open the overhead locker and see a prosthetic limb.

It is recommended that passengers who take off their prosthetic limbs use a compression garment on their stump as it may swell making application of the prosthetic limb tender post-flight. It may also result in blister formation in the area. This can be disastrous when travelling abroad. In saying this, many passengers with physical impairments have their own methods of stump care that they are comfortable with. At times, this may also include not using such garments. Staff must respect each individual’s decision.

There are many potential obstacles that may need to be overcome when an individual with a disability is in transit. If they are travelling without a carer, some passengers may need additional assistance to transfer from gate to gate, to navigate their way through security checks, or to find bathroom or restaurant facilities.

While it is the responsibility of the individual travelling to have a carer, many times there is a carer at each end of the journey rather than when the passenger is in transit.

Passengers who have physical limitations may require assistance. It is always a balance between maintaining the individual’s independence and giving them assistance. Sometimes passengers who have prostheses will require wheelchair assistance while in transit. Transit buggies are frequently used to transfer passengers with physical or visual impairments from gate to gate, which can be helpful.

Timing of medication will need to be pre-planned so that there is no gap or decrease in the hours for specific medication that need to be taken at a certain time of the day/hours apart.

Passengers with intellectual disabilities may need to be helped, as they may not have the capabilities to understand the security questions or navigate the change in currency.

It is imperative that the traveller’s specific needs are transferred to the staff on the next flight. Procedures on how to best do this should be considered by each airline. Organisations may develop a slip that can be attached to the passenger’s boarding pass for the next flight that specifies the type of assistance required. For example, there may be options printed on the slip to enable the form to be completed easily and promptly, indicating the type and level of assistance required. For instance, these options may include an advisory notice such as ‘Requires assistance with completing forms’ or ‘Requires assistance stowing luggage’.

It may also be possible to provide passengers with disability with a ‘stamp’ that could be added to their passport or airline ticket, which specifies the passenger’s requirements in a simplistic manner. With travel being a global phenomenon, an international initiative would be of great benefit to passengers with disabilities.