Wheelchair Travel Newsletter: Shakespeare, Opening Day and Planning for Scotland

An award-winning children's book inspires travel to London, plus a transportation challenge that I rarely face but many struggle with.

Hey, everyone!

I spent Easter weekend in Florida visiting with family, friends and lots of puppy dogs while enjoying the warm weather. The rays of sunlight were a nice departure from the still-chilly temperatures in the Northeast!

On Sunday, I had breakfast with two of the most important women in my life — my mom (obviously!) and my childhood librarian, both of whom helped foster my love of reading and inquiry. In 5th grade, I read King of Shadows on my librarian’s recommendation, a historical fiction novel written by English children’s book author Susan Cooper. The book received wide acclaim, a finalist for the Carnegie Medal, and inspired my interest in the works of William Shakespeare. If there is a child in your life looking for a great book, you have my recommendation!

The novel is set in London at the rebuilt Globe Theatre, which is a London attraction you will not want to miss. While accessibility could (and probably should) be better, it is nonetheless an experience to remember. Sadly, the theatre will be on a performance break during my upcoming trip to London, England — I’ll miss Othello by just a few days!

I’m traveling to… Scotland!

It’s a long flight to England for a one-day meeting on air travel and, rather than returning to the United States straight away, I have decided to extend my trip — from London, I will travel to Scotland (on an overnight sleeper train, no less!), with plans to spend time in both Edinburgh and Glasgow. I’ll have the chance to meet up with one of my best friends in the world of accessible travel, Emma from Simply Emma, the UK’s leading travel and disability lifestyle blog. She’s just published a list of wheelchair accessible things to do in Edinburgh which will be helpful to me in plotting my way through the city. Hopefully, I’ll experience good weather and return with stories of my own to share with you.

Watch Part 1 of the air travel conversation and register for Part 2

On March 28, I hosted a conversation to discuss the DOT’s proposed rules about accessibility in air travel — people had a lot to say and share about their vision for accessibility in air travel. You can watch the recording here.

We only managed to get through the first half of the discussion, which means there will be a second meeting to discuss these four proposed rules:

1. Passengers’ right to the prompt return of a delayed (left behind) wheelchair, and the responsibility of airlines when a passenger experiences harm as a result

2. Should passengers have a right to choose their own repair technician when a wheelchair is damaged, plus how disputes between airlines and passengers should be resolved

3. Establishing a clear requirement for airlines to provide a loaner wheelchair when the passenger’s own device is damaged or destroyed

4. Increasing the frequency and scope of required training for airline staff who assist passengers or load wheelchairs

These are the most pressing points, and the conversation is scheduled for Thursday, April 11 at 8:00 p.m. ET (New York time). Registration is required and you can Register for the Accessible Travel Chat on Zoom. Please add your voice and experience to what is sure to be a vibrant discussion filled with many perspectives.

Transportation for Two Wheelchairs

I recently needed to move two power wheelchairs across town, and I couldn’t help but think of the challenge this is for so many families, friend groups and couples with more than one wheelchair user. In Boston, I was able to meet the challenge with a clever plan, but I admit that luck had a lot to do with it.

Read more about what happened in my article, Transporting Two Power Wheelchairs Across Town is a Big Challenge. What have you done in similar situations, especially in cities without wheelchair taxis?

In Case You Missed It

Here are a few recently published accessible travel articles that you won’t want to overlook, plus a couple from the archive.

Behind-the Scenes: How I planned a trip to Dallas, Texas for next week’s Solar Eclipse

Three questions were at the core of my travel planning, and the answers determined whether I would actually be able to make the trip possible.

Check out these articles too:

• Impact of AI on Accessible Travel Will Be Negative Before Positive — AI has tremendous potential to improve our lives and the way we travel, but the importance of accuracy in the accessible travel market cannot be understated.

• ‘The Knowledge,’ Rigorous Test That Makes London’s Cab Drivers the Best in the World — The Knowledge of London is one of the toughest tests in the world, and it's mandatory for all drivers of the iconic London black cab.

• I Make Accessible Travel Look Easy, How You Can Learn from My Mistakes — My uncompromising approach to accessible travel holds travel providers accountable, but it comes at a cost.

• Free Powered Beach Wheelchairs in Miami, Florida — Wheelchair users can explore the iconic South Beach with a maual or powered beach wheelchair provided by the City of Miami Beach, Florida - for free!

• Tour the Royal Observatory, Greenwich with a Wheelchair — Visit historic Greenwich with a wheelchair and tour the Royal Observatory, take a photo on the Prime Meridian, board the Cutty Sark and more.

A few final words

Yesterday, I flew from Florida to St. Louis, where I have traveled to attend today’s home opener for my favorite baseball team, the Cardinals. Opening Day is the event of the year in this city, and I’m looking forward to taking part in the festivities!

On Sunday, I’ll be traveling to Dallas for the Monday eclipse, before returning to Boston and preparing for my departure to London — these long cross-country and international flights will give me plenty of time to write!

Have a great weekend,
—John