Life’s Little Ironies: Experiencing Travel Accessibility Services First-Hand

Life can be pretty ironic sometimes.

Just two weeks ago, I wrote a story about the new ACTA Accessibility Travel Advisor Directory, speaking with industry experts to get their perspectives on travel accessibility. I didn’t expect to experience those challenges myself so soon—but that’s exactly what happened on my trip home from Bermuda last week.

It all started with something small: a simple misstep off a curb while wearing shoes with a bit of a heel (you know what I mean, ladies!). It didn’t seem like a big deal at the time—I kept walking, and only later did I think, “ouch.”

By the next morning, my foot was swollen and sore. As I sat icing it — missing a full day of site inspections — my anxiety started creeping in. I began mentally walking through every step of my journey home: How was I going to climb the stairs at my hotel to reach the car? Once at the airport, how would I get from the drop-off point to a wheelchair? What would I do with my luggage while trying to roll myself along — do wheelchairs even have a place for that? And, maybe most difficult of all, how was I going to handle the feeling of helplessness?

Thankfully, I was traveling with another member of the press who made the whole situation bearable, graciously wheeling me through the airport and helping every step of the way. I realized then how crucial it is for travellers with limited mobility to have reliable support — someone who can lend a hand when needed.

For its part, the GTAA and Air Canada accessibility services were exceptional, from getting on the plane in Bermuda, to helping me through arrivals, customs and to the curb in Toronto.

But the whole experience brought me right back to a conversation I’d had while researching my story. David Lyons-Black, an Accessible Travel Expert and Advisor with more than 20 years experience, told me at the time, “I’m sorry, but you don’t know anything about what my life is like, what I go through every day being non-ambulatory. You don’t know until you walk a day in our shoes.”

Last week, I got a small glimpse of what he meant. My temporary experience of limited mobility pales in comparison to what people like Lyons-Black face daily; but it was enough for me to want to shout from the rooftops how much our industry needs to be more prudent in our policies. I reached out to Lyons-Black again when I returned home to tell him of my eye-opening experience and get his feedback and learned even more about existing limitations.

For example, it’s not uncommon for accessible rooms at hotels/resorts to have only a king bed.

“Is the assumption that I am supposed to share a bed with my travel partner?” Lyons-Black told us. “I know it’s a revenue-model issue; why would a hotel want to give me a two double bed room when there are only two of us, but it’s an awkward position to put me in. It feels disrespectful.”

Lyons-Black says even the free shuttles used to transport guests from the airport to hotel or in some cases, the hotel to a conference venue, aren’t accessible either. When he asked recently about having an accessible shuttle, one hotel simply said they couldn’t accommodate and to request an Uber.

“I honestly don’t understand the reasoning, I’m not trying to be difficult, I just wanted to use the hotel services the way other guests can and I couldn’t. Instead I had to pay a lot of money out of pocket for transportation that other guests who can walk, got for free. We’re supposed to be moving forward on accessibility, instead I feel we’re sometimes moving backwards.”

Accessibility is moving from the margins to the mainstream of Canadian travel. A recent Flight Centre survey conducted by YouGov reveals that 42% of Canadians place high importance on accessibility when making their travel plans. This figure outpaces even the most recent Statistics Canada data: that 27% of Canadians aged 15 and older—and a striking 40.4% of individuals 65 and older—are affected by disability. 

In the end though, it all circles back to education on the part of travel advisors and our industry partners. And that’s something Lyons-Black is calling on ACTA to help with in conjunction with the launch of its new Accessible Travel Advisor Directory.

“We need to address limited mobility issues properly; all accessible issues properly and that will only come from educating our industry from the ground up. At all levels,” Lyons-Black says. “And it needs to be taught by people who live the experience every single day; we are the ones who are qualified to advise and educate our industry.”

ACTA says accessibility is an important issue and one that it is committed to, including education which is one of the organization’s pillars. Applications for the directory are still open and they encourage all active ACTA members are encouraged to apply through their dedicated portal.

On its website, ACTA says “the one-month application window helps us build a strong foundation of qualified advisors, with ongoing applications continuing after launch.”

“I’m sorry I’m so passionate and vocal about this, but this is my life,” says Lyons-Black. “We can make, and we need to make, accessible travel better for everyone. It’s a human right.”