Free Cancellation Protection for Month of July, 2009!

Scootaround is happy to offer a special bonus to all customers who book a mobility rental in the month of July, 2009 - free Cancellation Protection! To receive your discount, simply book your rental anytime in the month of July, 2009 -- the rental can be used during July or anytime in the next 365 days. Just call our 7-Day Toll-Free hotline at 1-888-441-7575 and you're ready to start saving!

And as the Summer progresses, remember to keep e-mailing us your travel stories and trip reports. We enjoy hearing about your successes and want to keep being an integral part of your vacation plans over the coming months.

Walt Disney World Parks

We recently had the opportunity to try out a scooter rental from Scootaround. We have noticed that this company has a good reputation in Orlando with Disney visitors. When we were planning a trip to Las Vegas we learned that Scootaround also serviced that area. We decided to use them there, and it was a good call!
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Wheelchair and Scooter Rentals for Veterans Across North America

Mobility is important to us all. If we have the desire to travel, it can be a great way to explore our country or visit family and friends from far away. Indeed, travel and exploration is one of the ways that many Veterans enjoy spending their time.
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Cruising for Disabled and Special Needs Accommodation
If you are disabled or have certain special needs, you can still have a cruise ship adventure. If you fall into this category, your best bet is to consult with a travel agent to find the best cruise line that will accommodate your needs. No two cruise lines are quite alike, so comparison shopping is required when choosing your options. Your particular disability could be the deciding factor on which cruise to take.
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Accessible Rome - Wheelchair Travel
To answer the $64,000 question - Is Rome accessible? A qualified yes. Sometimes things are astonishingly accessible like the Colosseum (Colosseo). Other times, the barriers are impossible to overcome, such as the church of Santa Maria della Vittorio where Bernini's the Ecstasy of St. Theresa is located. The trick is to know where the entrance is, where the back door takes you.
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How To Travel By Air With A Wheelchair
Normally you can use your own wheelchair as far as the boarding point of the aircraft, where you will transfer to a special aisle chair. If you are able to walk a short distance, you should request a seat near the entrance doors. Your wheelchair will then be stored conveniently for immediate availability on arrival. The airline will probably want to preboard you, so be early at the airport. You, however, have the choice not to preboard.
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A Barrier-Free Vacation at Mersey River Chalets
I live in Greenville, NC and my tale is about a wilderness resort in Nova Scotia. Yes, that brings a memory of Carlie Simon's song and the total eclipse of the sun or more recently the movie "Delores Clayborne". But where I want to tell you about is a place I call the Magic, right in the interior of rock country. NS is blessed with lots of rocks and water and Beauty.
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Easing Concerns About Accessible Air Travel

At a recent convention in Toronto, I had the opportunity to speak with a number of disabled visitors who had issues navigating the large convention hall. Varied were the questions asked by both sides and equally varied, were the responses. Comments ranged from the outright ecstatic all the way down to the very disappointed. This range of responses was understandable given the event's attendance of more than 45,000 people.

My biggest surprise was the positive feedback offered by several visitors regarding their air travel experience. Several attendees spoke of how their pre-conceived notions of airline travel were quickly dispelled by the courtesy and detailed approach taken by the airline staff. The attendees also spoke of how their barrier-free flight made for a relaxing trip across the country.

The first comment came from Rebecca, after I posed her the question: "What’s the best thing about your convention experience so far?" Her response was: "I can't believe I waited this long to take a plane ride!" I learned that she had never ventured more than a few hundred miles from her native Wyoming for fear that the airplane trip would pose too many obstacles. When I asked her why she was reluctant to travel by air, she responded with several reasons:

"My biggest concern was the seating arrangement on the airplane; I require extra leg room but was under the impression that most airplane seats were quite crowded." As Rebecca found out, airlines have addressed that concern by providing bulkhead seating complete with moveable armrests that make it easy to get in and out of the seat.

In fact, the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) states that passengers with a fused or immobilized leg must be assigned a seat that provides greater legroom, such as a bulkhead seat. The only stipulation is that passengers who want specific seat assignments must make the request at least 24 hours before the flight is scheduled to depart and check in at least 1 hour before departure. If a passenger is not able to make their request at least 24 hours in advance, the carrier must still satisfy the request if possible.

Another concern mentioned by Rebecca (and echoed by a number of other visitors), was the actual method involved in boarding the airplane. In Rebecca's case, the airline provided a wheelchair and attendant to escort her from the ticketing area right to the airplane door. Rebecca was then transferred comfortably to a boarding chair and taken to her seat. Once the flight was complete, she was brought to the luggage collection area and finally, outside the airport terminal to catch her wheelchair-accessible taxi.

The ACAA requires that airlines assist passengers with disabilities in boarding and exiting the plane in all cases. They must provide personnel, ground wheelchairs, boarding wheelchairs, and ramps or mechanical lifts. Level-entry boarding platforms or accessible mobile lounges must be used where they are available. When level-entry boarding devices (jet bridges) are not available, airlines may employ ramps, lifts, or other devices not normally used for freight.

Among the many convention-goers spoken with, I did not encounter any with negative airplane tales that week. Kudos to the airlines in that regard! However, given the vast number of flights along with the increasing airline traffic regulations, most travelers are bound to run into a snag at some point. Your best bet is to always prepare in advance and tell the airline about your disability requirements.

Airlines have made great strides to address the travel concerns of all passengers with physical disabilities. While some airlines have complied based on increasing pressure from the public and from government legislation, many carriers are simply realizing that it makes good economic sense to accommodate all passengers and build customer loyalty.

Article by Gerald Adams
Media Director, Scootaround Inc.