TravelAbility Insider

The Intersection of Travel and Disability

Mobility

Plans for World’s First In-Cabin Wheelchair Airline Announced. Will it Fly?

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The AirCraft Company, a new start-up based in Wichita, Kansas, has revealed its plans to produce a hybrid-electric, 30-seat regional airliner. Called the Pangea SY30J. One thing that might set The AirCraft Company apart from its competition is its focus on accessibility and comfort. Not only will the cabin be more spacious with larger seats for “real-size” people, but it will also be able to accommodate passengers’ wheelchairs inside the cabin. . Read more.

Our Takeaway: This futuristic approach to accessible design is heaven-sent for the disability community but there are still many hurdles on the horizon , for example, funding and FAA approval, before this becomes a reality.

What is the Accessibility Gap?

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According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), 15% of the global population has a disability. Furthermore, the National Household Travel Survey indicates that 25.5 million Americans have disabilities that hinder their ability to travel. 

Travel has numerous benefits, including stress relief, mental health, physical health, education, personal growth, creating memories, improving relationships and career advancement. 

Unfortunately, a lack of general accessibility in the travel industry means these advantages are out of reach. So, what is being done and what can be done to alleviate this situation? Read More.

Our Takeaway: Due to abundant mainstream media coverage around accessibility, the travel industry is finally awakening to that fact that outmoded ADA regulations are only a baseline and there are encouragingly easy and affordable ways to fill the gap.

Autonomous Shuttles with Accessibility Coming to US Cities

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photo of autonomous accessible shuttle -grey color with red acc ents large windows

The rise of electric vehicles has resulted in increased communication within the vehicle; everything from opening and closing windows to automated driving features to infotainment to passenger comfort is controlled via computers. Instead of piling electronic control units (ECU) — which historically have handled one function at a time — on top of each other, suppliers are converging them into so-called supercomputers. ZF’s Pro AI supercomputer combines multiple systems-on-a-chip (SoC) from different suppliers into one hardware unit that’s more efficient, takes up less space (the new ProAI is 12 by 6 by 6 inches) and eases supply constraints.

TravelAbility Insider Insight: Accessible ground transportation is one of the primary barriers for wheelchair travelers. While these beautiful and futuristically designed shuttle vans are primarily being released in Europe right now, they will have a ready market in the U.S. as accessible Airport shuttles. Read more.

Ciao! Blogger Cory Lee Spends Five Wheelchair-Friendly Days in Rome

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Photo of Blogger Cory Lee dressed in blue jeans and a blue shirt sitting in his wheelchair in front of theColiseum

Since he ate his first slice of pizza, Cory Lee Woodard dreamed of visiting Italy. In September 2021 during the Omicron era of COVID-19, Cory, and some friends, made their dream trip reality, beginning in the Eternal City of Rome, then continuing on to Venice for a few days.  Over the course of five days in Rome, they toured historical sights, saw more beauty than they could imagine, and ate a lot of great Italian food. Despite Rome being an older city, they found it surprisingly accessible as well. To discover all the accessible Rome attractions that Cory experienced view his day-by-day itinerary here.

TravelAbility Insider Insight: What we love about Cory Lee’s blog posts is the indomitably positive approach he uses to cover travel. Here he uses an in-country accessible travel specialist, Rome and Italy Travel, one of many such services around the world that have made wheelchair travel to ancient cities possible.

Video of the Month: Hell in the Air from Vice Media

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bottom view of an airplane in the sky

Flying Has Become Hell for Passengers in Wheelchairs. 

Travelability Insider Insight: The most powerful video we’ve found to date:  For millions of wheelchair users, flying on an airplane means undergoing a series of indignities, and sometimes even dealing with a broken chair upon arrival.  View the video here.