TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Disability Advocates

American Airlines Backpedals After Wheelchair Travel Blogger Speaks Out

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American Airlines planes at Chicago Airport, city skyline in background.

Last month, American Airlines made headlines after it refused to transport WheelchairTravel.org Founder and TravelAbility Advisory Board member John Morris, citing a new airline policy that deemed his power wheelchair too heavy to fly.

John, who has flown more than a million miles as a wheelchair user, took his case to the media, generating coverage by NPR, Travel + Leisure, The Dallas Morning News, Forbes and numerous other publications. Following the original NPR story, American Airlines stated that it would review its policy and “ensure all customers can travel wherever American flies.”

Last week, the airline announced that it had reversed the policy, allowing power wheelchair users like John to fly once again. Congratulations, John, on your successful advocacy campaign!

To read the latest NPR story, click here.   -JS

Kudos! TravelAbility Advisory Board Member Profiled by Adweek

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Josh Loebner headshot

Each member of the TravelAbiliity Summit community is an agent of change, bringing the message of accessibility and inclusion to their respective communities and the world. This month, we’d like to recognize a recent accomplishments of one member of our summit community, who is doing great work to mainstream accessibility.

TravelAbility advisory board member and 2019 speaker Josh Loebner was recently profiled in Adweek. Loebner’s distinguished career in advertising has taken him to a number of widely respected advertising agencies. He’s also dedicated himself to opening up new opportunities for people with disabilities in the industry, and he was awarded a silver medal for serving on the American Advertising Federation’s Mosaic Council, a think tank for diversity in the industry.

Congratulations Josh!

Accessible Travel or Inclusive Travel – What Should It Be?

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Martin Heng wearing a dark grey sweater.
Martin Heng

Martin Heng, former Accessible Travel Manager for Lonely Planet, recently suggested that it is time to evolve our thinking on accessible tourism and to embrace accessibility as one element of inclusive tourism.

In an article for New Mobility Magazine, Heng argued that “using the term ‘accessible tourism’ limits not only the discussion, but also our chances of participation in cultural life, recreation, leisure and sport.” Accessibility is not a one-size-fits-all feature and an accessible built environment alone should not be our goal. He says, “If this travel segment were described as ‘inclusive tourism,’ it would put the focus on making sure travel experiences are able to be enjoyed by as many people as possible (inclusion) rather than on the costly business of installing elevators, ramps and accessible toilets (access).”

Creating Events That Reduce Stigma About Cerebral Palsy Worldwide

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A young man with a baseball cap on and glasses is shown with a backdrop of a monument and the words Tuesday October 5 2020 World Cerebral Palsy Day.

When the Cerebral Palsy Foundation held a competition, a University of Virginia team crafted a solar-powered wheelchair prototype for the win. Read about it here. It is just one of the many ways that CPF builds awareness of medication, research, civil rights and opportunity during World Cerebral Palsy Day each year. There is still time to start planning an event for World CP Day in the U.S. on October 6, 2020. Learn more here.

OUR TAKE Thank you, Cerebral Palsy Foundation for continuing to support events that change the conversation around CP and disability. A whole different picture is emerging—about minds and bodies—as people with disabilities participate in hackathons, see films and participate in exercise programs, to name just a few. This year, leaning into student-driven virtual or socially distanced events in the community makes sense this fall, especially when many of American’s young leaders are sitting out the semester or sitting at home doing their work thanks to the pandemic. Learn more about World CP Day, here.

What Exactly Is Sensory-Friendly Shopping?

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Malls and shopping centers are struggling for business. Parents are stressed out trying to maintain some sense of calm in their homes during the pandemic. Together Champions Autism Network, a South Carolina based advocacy group,  created a Sensory-Friendly Shopping Days this August with Tanger Outlets Myrtle Beach. Both local residents and visitors found it refreshing. Read more here

OUR TAKE  Use this ‘pause’ in business to learn more about sensory-friendly events and think of how to integrate simple sensory precautions at all of your events. The basic definition: fewer people and less buzz—loud music and fountains are off, people offering samples, crowded dressing, or bathrooms are all minimized. All of those things can feel like an assault on a child’s system, making shopping with them nearly impossible. 

Start by getting to know some of the local organizations that work with people with disabilities and ask them what they’d like to see. If the event is small and manageable, it should be do-able in the current pandemic. Use this socially distanced, sensory-friendly day of shopping for parents of children with autism as a model in your area.

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