

As you know, not much has changed in the last few decades that has improved accessibility on aircraft, with injuries and broken wheelchairs an everyday occurrence for disabled travelers.
On a personal level, recently I was fortunate to avoid serious injury (or even death) when I was dropped out of an aisle chair which are used to manhandle those with mobility disabilities on and off aircraft.
The fall occurred because an overzealous crew member, working under pressure to get the aircraft ready for turnaround, had not strapped me into the chair properly and had continued to push me when his colleague left him momentarily to fetch something.
Aisle chairs for some reason are not uniform, are badly designed, very narrow, uncomfortable and dangerous for those in them. There are also no uniform or regulated methods airlines manhandle those with mobility issues on and off aircraft.
It took me three years from the time of my spinal cord incident, to gain the confidence to fly as I knew of the unacceptable number of disabled people who have been injured (and even killed) as a result of traveling on the inaccessible aircraft we have today; and the thousands of wheelchairs that have been broken by airline ground crews.
I wonder what the inaccessible airline industry would be saying now if I had died.
Instead I’m spending Memorial Day weekend in hospital because the drop resulted in an open wound which needs several weeks of a strong antibiotic regime.
Keep tuned for an update on the campaign to make air travel accessible.
Thank You.