Accessible Travel Part One

Welcome to Mostly Unlearning, a newsletter that amplifies accessibility and disability voices towards more impactful commercial and human outcomes.

Today's edition comes to you from Guernsey in the Channel Islands and is about the accessibility of our trip so far. We are two weeks into our four-week holiday in the UK and Europe, visiting family and friends before we start new jobs and a new Kinder. 

In this two-part series, I’ll share my observations and challenge the Australian Tourism Sector to do better.

If you want travel updates, I share them on Instagram @briarloves.

Accessible Tourism has economic benefits

As I covered in an earlier edition, “Disability Dollar”,

"Australia’s accessible tourism sector is worth about $10 billion. This is on par with the value of the inbound Chinese tourism market." - My Travel Reserach on Escape.com.au

So, I was curious about travel to the UK and around Europe. We are here to visit family and attend a wedding. My partner is British, and our COVID 4-year-old has yet to meet his side of the family.

While we committed to coming over, what we do and where we spend our Euros and Pounds depends mainly on how accessible things are and how my body copes with being in new places.

I'm generally an optimistic person, having lived in London and travelled around Europe (sans children) ... I wasn't expecting much.

Pleasantly surprised

I have a mobility disability; one leg doesn't work properly, I walk with a cane and can find it hard to stand for long. A few minutes and it starts to ache, leading to more painful and debilitating events. 

Overall, accessibility and support for navigating transport, tourism sites, and accommodation have been vastly improved. We could expect accessibility options, wayfinding, and information everywhere. That’s not to say everywhere was accessible; often, inaccessibility was signposted. 

By far, the most notable change since the last time I travelled this far was being believed and supported at every point.

At no point, not ever, did someone question my need for accessibility or request proof of disability. 

 I was truly surprised.

Airports were more hits than misses.

I opt to use a wheelchair throughout airports. While travelling with my partner and daughter, Tom often pushes the wheelchair, making our transit independent while allowing us to use the accessibility queues. Being an ambulatory wheelchair user means I can use this service for part of the commute throughout the airport and walk short distances (gate to plane) at other times.

When booking or when checking in, you can let the airline staff know your needs. They will often check the extent of mobility needs, including

• If I need help from check in to gate (yes)
• If I need help from the gate to the seat (no)

• If I need help getting into my seat (no)
• If I can walk up three or four steps (yes)
• and if I need their help to push the wheelchair. When I fly solo with my daughter, I put her in the seat and push her, using the wheelchair as my walking mobility aid.

Top Marks: Allowing kids on your lap

Amsterdam Schiphol Airport had an easy-to-use assistance system... once you could find it and after your airline stamped your boarding pass. The best part is that they allow kids to sit on your lap!

Disappointingly Disappointing: Gatwick Airport

Despite being the birthplace of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard, Gatwick Airport was disappointing.

• The 'priority lanes' had the least organised and most stressful disability lanes, and we left nearly in tears.
• The disabled bathrooms had heavy toilet doors, which were not automatic.
• The heavily sign-posted priority lift left us lost, and we nearly ended up on the tarmac!

Overall, among the worst airports for accessibility, we transited through. Disappointingly disappointing as the sunflower lanyard has had a huge impact internationally.

Eurostar Train surprised us.

Unlike all the airports we visited, Eurostar didn't have clear signage for accessibility. They did have very, very proactive staff who seemed to jump out at the start of every queue and let us cut lines.

This is much appreciated and quicker; however, it does make it harder to plan and can be subject to staff numbers and willingness to help. I'd rather see dedicated lanes or clearer wayfinding.

Once inside the terminal, it was step-free with a large priority seating area.

Ps, don't let an old American tourists in the Eurostar terminal take your photo... this was the best I could find!

Tourist Attractions allow for planning your trip.

In tourist attractions, I’m enjoying being able to plan my trip and route using accessibility maps online. Here, I mainly use a walking cane and accessible queues, these are often shorter and mean I don't use up valuable energy waiting in line. Windsor Castle was the main attraction I wanted to visit on this trip, and their website made it that much easier. 

So minimal was the validation of my disability; I was offered a disability-discounted ticket without proof of disability. 

Accommodation had some laughs.

Accommodation doesn't tend to be such an issue for me, mainly because Tom carries bags up flights of stairs. We did get our room moved from the fifth floor to the first floor in Amsterdam; the stairs were almost vertical!

Overall, travelling through the EU, it was clear the impact human rights frameworks and accessibility legislation have had on physical spaces.

Old, like really old, actually old, places and spaces had been modified to be flatter, clearer, and easier to navigate. 

It makes you wonder why Australia is persistent in its inability to improve the accessibility of reasonably new and well-used spaces. 

Unlearning prompts

• Why travel should be accessible
• What to expect when travelling
• What accessibility looks like for people with a disability when travelling
• The purpose of requiring validation of disability

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