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Affordability: The Biggest Obstacle to Accessible Travel

I’ve been covering accessible travel for nearly 30 years, and in that time I have most certainly seen a lot of changes. Travel really is more accessible today for wheelchair-users and slow walkers. Granted, if you are in your 30s, you probably don’t remember what things were like decades ago with the archaic attitudes about disability — before the ADA and other laws made access possible. If that’s the case I totally understand why you feel things are still not accessible enough, as that’s a fair assessment from your perspective. 

But before I get to the meat of the issue, allow me a Geezer moment here. I remember (back in the day) when the only way a wheelchair-user could get to the airport was by ambulance. And this was in a big city — San Diego. And once you did get on the airplane the airlines made you sit on blankets for fear you would soil the seats. And they made a big deal about it, so everyone on the airplane heard about the issue. Let’s not even talk about lodging. It was no big deal to have someone carry you up a step or two if you wanted to stay in a motel. And roll-in showers were a pipe dream back then.

I’m not saying the “good old days” were good access-wise, but thankfully things have changed. Today we have accessible public transportation. We have the ADA. We have the ACAA. And thankfully we have changing attitudes about inclusion. These are all good things, but I still think there’s one huge obstacle to accessible travel — and it’s a big one.

Affordability.

 

The Biggest Obstacle to Accessible Travel

Unfortunately, it’s difficult to afford a vacation if you are disabled, because there are just so many “extras”. It’s true that a company cannot charge you more just because you are disabled, but if you have to travel with a caregiver, you not only have to pay their way, but you need to pay their wages too. Sure, there are ways around this, like arranging for a part time caregiver at your destination, but that takes money too. And then there’s the rental of an adapted van and medical equipment at your destination, And yes there are all-inclusive accessible tours today, but to be honest those are pretty pricey too — much more expensive than the non-accessible tours.

And what about comfort? For example, if you need more space to recline and be comfortable because of your disability and you need to fly in business class or first class, then that’s an extra charge too. Flying can get expensive in a hurry.

Then there’s cruising. It’s a relatively affordable option, but the price tag of most accessible shore excursions are higher than standard shore excursions.  Sure accessible transportation is expensive, but I don’t think this option should double or even triple the price.

That said, if you do have your own transportation, an accessible road trip is certainly possible. Even if you travel with a caregiver, you still pay the same price to get from Point A to Point B in a car. Of course you still need to pay wages and provide meals and maybe even a separate room your caregiver, but it is a more affordable alternative. Still, some folks on a fixed income can’t even afford this.

 

Why Should Accessible Travel be Affordable?

Of course some folks say that poor people can’t afford vacations, so why should poor disabled people be any different?   Fair enough, but everyone has their own definition of a vacation. It could mean piling the kids into the truck and pitching a tent at a state park, or even taking a road trip to visit Aunt Clarice.  It just takes more ingenuity to plan an affordable accessible vacation. Is it possible? Certainly. And kudos to those folks who manage to do it.

My friend Betsy managed it. She was a quad, fiercely independent and she would do whatever she could to travel. She had a government job, so that helped, but she still struggled with the caregiver issue. Sadly she died alone in her apartment when her caregiver didn’t show up for three days. Sometimes independence has its price.

Finally, let’s talk full disclosure. As a travel writer I’ve certainly been on my fair share of luxurious all-expense paid press trips. Every travel writer has. I realize that’s privilege, and that the average person has to pay full fare for what I — and others — get for free. So the next time you read about an accessible vacation option, ask yourself, “who footed the bill for the writer’s travel?” Just because someone writes about a certain accessible travel option, doesn’t mean it’s an affordable choice for everyone.

 

What’s the Answer?

I don’t want to sound anti-travel, but unfortunately affordability is a huge obstacle to accessible travel. The bottom line is, unless you have at least $10k you are not going to be able to afford an accessible escorted group tour. But let’s be honest, that’s not the only form of accessible travel. With that in mind, here are a few ideas to trim your travel budget.

Although affordability can be an obstacle, with a little creativity, advance planning and flexibility, accessible travel is still possible. Get out there and do it your own way!

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