How flying could be improved for passengers who use wheelchairs

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How flying could be improved for passengers who use wheelchairs

More wheelchairs are being damaged on planes. Travelers want action.

The Transportation Department has announced several new accessibility measures, but advocates say progress is too slow.

Jessica Dalonzo was worried the first time she flew with her power wheelchair last month. She’d heard horror stories from other travelers, and her manual chair had been damaged on previous flights.

Alvaro Silberstein, co-founder and chief executive of Wheel the World, in San Pedro de Atacama, Chile. (Joyce Silberstein/Wheel the World)

But the 22-year-old entrusted the customized device — with careful instructions attached — to Delta when she flew from New York to Orlando for a Disney World vacation. It was damaged upon arrival, but fixable in about an hour. Things got much worse on the way home, she said.

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4 July 2024

Wheelchairs

Carbon fibres are tiny filaments made mostly of carbon atoms that are smaller than a human hair. Thousands of filaments are gathered and either used separately or woven together to create cloth. Since its discovery in 1958, carbon fibre has revolutionised a wide range of industries, including wheelchairs and high-end athletic goods and aerospace. One of the top 20 engineering feats of the 20th century, according to the National Academy of Engineering, is the development of composite materials, which includes carbon fibre. Why is carbon fibre used to make a manual wheelchair, and what clinical uses does it have? Your best option for manual mobility should be carbon fibre due to its numerous applications and the answers to these questions. Read More

Support for wheelchair and pushchair users as Solihull

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In response to residents’ concerns about people blocking access to dropped kerbs, Solihull Council has decided to adopt new parking enforcement powers. From Monday 5 September, people who park in front of dropped kerbs and block access will be issued with a fine of £70. This will be reduced to £35 if paid within 14 days. The fines are being introduced following a review of the council’s parking services strategy, which took place in July. This identified that there was scope to issue a £70 Penalty Charge Notice to any motorist who obstructs a pedestrian dropped kerb where tactile paving is present. Read More

How flying could be improved for passengers who use wheelchairs

15 August 2022

Wheelchairs

More wheelchairs are being damaged on planes. Travelers want action. The Transportation Department has announced several new accessibility measures, but advocates say progress is too slow. Jessica Dalonzo was worried the first time she flew with her power wheelchair last month. She’d heard horror stories from other travelers, and her manual chair had been damaged on previous flights. But the 22-year-old entrusted the customized device — with careful instructions attached — to Delta when she flew from New York to Orlando for a Disney World vacation. It was damaged upon arrival, but fixable in about an hour. Things got much worse on the way home, she said. Read More