For those with disabilities who want to travel and see some of the world, they are often given an
unfortunate glimpse into how inequalities regarding disability are portrayed in daily life.
Furthermore, this glimpse is often a lot all at once – most of the travel industry is simply not
equipped to offer the support many disabled people need, and viewing these issues in such
high numbers can be demoralizing, to say the least.
From long-standing issues like the fact a typical plane interior seems too small for accessibility
equipment or the idea that during a crisis, those who are able-bodied often receive key supplies
and support before those people who have a disability. There is definitely a long-standing series
of inequalities regarding the travel industry, and it is, frankly, most disappointing to witness in
action.
Obviously, we know that the travel industry tends to operate by its own series of clearly defined
rules for the sake of getting people from one place to the next. However, it is so infrequently that
these changes take place, which means that simply by its very nature, the travel industry is
often very slow to make changes.
It is this slow nature which often impacts the industry to such an extensive degree, and makes it
seem very uncivilised in regards to the aspects of modern society. Planes are a good example,
as they still seem to be designed for people who are able-bodied.
As disability support providers Gold Coast, we often feel that we need to try and seek more from
the travel industry on a global basis. it doesn’t seem right or fair that so much of the industry is
kept to a very restrictive style of operating. There are so many people with very specific issues
that they face when travelling, and they need specific help with those issues. However,
accessibility is often given a back seat with travel in return for focusing on speed and efficiency.
Unfortunately, we are well aware that changing things may take time. When you are fighting for
a more general sense of equality, especially within the travel sector, you have to accept there
can be a delay between voicing these inequalities and things actually getting down about them.
We can only hope that these changes are made sooner rather than later, as the more time that
passes, the less acceptable these issues will become. The travel industry can only continue to
exist in its own world for so long before it is forced to comfort the ever-changing state of the
world and make new changes and policies for people who have a disability. As more and more
disabled people have aspirations to travel and explore some of the world, these issues will
undoubtedly become more and more topical until a solution is offered up. For now, the only
thing we can really do is wait and see if any of these issues are corrected over the next few
years.