Dogs classified as giving emotional support to their owners are flying in record numbers—and not just on Delta. In fact, across all carriers, demand for pets to accompany people jumped 75% in one year. This apparently includes dogs, cats, rodents, you name it, some more well-behaved than others. The uptick in bad behavior and the increase in requests is what prompted Delta to revise rules around emotional support animals traveling on long flights (more than 8 hours) and to clarify the advance booking notice rules for 2019. If you travel with an emotional support animal, don’t panic, but do plan ahead. Read more.
Trends
Disabled People Must Be Able to Talk More Openly About Sex—It’s Important for Their Health.
Here’s a fact you probably didn’t know: Only 5% of people who aren’t disabled have ever been asked out or been on a date with a disabled person, according to one study. Actress and disability campaigner Samantha Renke hopes to change that statistic. She writes candidly in MetroNews UK that, to make matters worse, she has to endure either intrusive questions from those around her or total silence around the topic in general. Renke writes that she thinks that silence has probably led her to lose out on the chance to have some valuable relationships. Read more.
Editor’s Note: Welcome to the TravelAbility Report
Today we launch the first issue of our monthly newsletter, the TravelAbilty Report, which will include profiles, features and news designed for travel suppliers and destinations who have an interest in making the travel experience accessible (and enjoyable) to everyone. It is a complement to the Travel Ability Summit (TAS), a b2b event that will bring together destinations, airports, attractions, travel providers and a host of cutting edge experts and product innovators to better understand how to make the opportunities to make travel easier for those with a variety of disabilities. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recently published a report that found that one fifth of the US population has some form of disability. This, of course, doesn’t even account for the coming baby-boomer generation who is just now entering their 70’s.
Our hope is that those attending the Summit and reading this newsletter use the information and contacts to raise awareness and educate their organizations and stakeholders. The first TAS will be held Nov. 12-13, 2019 in San Francisco.
As you look over this inaugural issue, you might find that you may know of someone with an idea, a product, or a service that may warrant inclusion in this newsletter. Please e-mail me us at jake@northamericanjourneys.com.
To view the TravelAbility Summit website click here.
Jake Steinman, Editor
Sausalito, California