The Internet is a great travel planning tool; but is online booking a realistic option for people who require accessible services? The answer is a qualified yes. Although it’s much easier to book accessible travel online today, there are still a few pitfalls to avoid. The good news is that with a little consumer awareness and a smidgen of web savvy, you can make most of your accessible travel arrangements online.
Accessible Travel: Airfare
Let’s start with airfare. Airline websites and travel portals are the best places to book air tickets if you have access needs. Shop around, find the best fare, and then book online. Most of the airline websites even have places on their booking forms to specify your access needs, such as wheelchair assistance, accessible seating or an on-board wheelchair.
After you’ve made your reservation, call the airline directly to make sure your access requests are noted. Additionally, remember to reconfirm all access arrangements 24 hours before you travel.
Although air tickets are pretty easy to book online, there is one type of a travel website you should avoid the name-your-price website. These are pretty easy to spot as they ask for your departure city, destination, credit card number and the price you are willing to pay for the ticket. If your bid is accepted, your credit card is charged and the ticket is issued to you. It’s usually a pretty quick process, providing you don’t submit an unrealistically low bid.
The problem with this whole method is you can’t choose the carrier, routing, aircraft or even the time of day you travel. In fact, you don’t find out these details until after your bid is accepted and your credit card is charged. This makes it a big gamble for anybody who needs accessible services, as some of those factors can determine the accessibility of the flight. So steer clear of those name-your-price websites, no matter how good the deals seem.
Accessible Accommodations—Demand an Accessible Room
Most hotel websites allow folks to book accessible rooms online. Find the best deal, book your room and then call the hotel to confirm your access arrangements. It’s a pretty simple process. The key is to book at hotel websites and stay away from hotel consolidators. These bad boys of the travel industry are pretty easy to spot, as they take your money upfront, yet treat accessibility as a request. In fact, DRA Legal recently filed suit against hotels.com because of this discriminatory practice.
As plaintiff Bonnie Lewkowicz points out, “It would be unwise and potentially dangerous for me to rely on a hotel reservation service that does not guarantee the hotel room I am booking is accessible to someone in a wheelchair. Accessibility isn’t a preference for me—it’s a necessity.”
In the end, if you shop around, watch for sales and stay away from travel consolidators and name-your-price websites, you’ll probably find some good deals online. In reality, the Internet really is a great tool for all travelers.
Candy Harrington is the editor of Emerging Horizons and the author of Barrier-Free Travel: A Nuts and Bolts Guide For Wheelers and Slow Walkers. Visit her blog at http://www.barrierfreetravels.com.
See Related Articles
See In Search of an Accessible Vacation Home for more information about ensuring adaptable accommodations for travelers with disabilities.
Need help planning your next accessible getaway? See Travel Agents Specializing in Adaptive Travel for more information.
