I do not want to write much in this blog, but I do want to share some of the incidents that occurred to myself on my recent short break to Florida.
My travel agent, Enable Holidays, have launched an investigation into what went wrong and they are still in discussion with the relevant companies who I have not mentioned while the investigation is still ongoing.
I have just shared the initial email that I wrote to Enable Holidays to explain how several companies failed to provide me with adequate treatment and equipment. I am wanting to write this to explain what happened to my GoFundMe supporters and am doing so after watching Sophie Morgan’s Fight to Fly on Channel 4 last Monday (19th July).
Sophie Morgan is a wonderful activist who is fighting to make a change in the way disabled people are treated when it comes to traveling via aeroplane. The documentary was hard hitting and tells a depressingly familiar story, one which I am all to familiar with.
Indeed, as you can see from the email that I have copied below, I suffered in a similar way on my recent trip to Florida. I would love to be involved in the Fight to Fly campaign even if I do already have many other battles on my hands, not least with Wrexham County Borough Council.
Those who know me – poor buggers – know that I love nothing better than a good fight. If only I had the same reach as Sophie Morgan.
Please see below the email that triggered an investigation into what went wrong during my recent trip to Florida. I will keep you updated when I finally hear something back from Enable Holidays.
***
First of all I would like to thank everyone at Enable Holidays for arranging my short break to Florida from 24th May – 31st May 2024. This was a trip that opened my eyes to the difficulties that still exist for disabled people in relation to overseas travel.
I experienced several problems while I was away, but the main two issues that I would like your assistance with involve XXX Airlines and XXX Supplies.
I am writing as I was unhappy with the way I was treated during certain parts of the short break and I would like to campaign about these issues so that other disabled people don’t have to go through the same trauma during their periods away from home. The avenues of complaint are not very obvious, and it can be overwhelming, but with your guidance then I can contact the correct parties and even claim compensation for some of the more traumatic episodes of this trip.
The short break hadn’t even started when XXX Airlines staff allowed me to fall out of the aisle chair on the aircraft. I was in agony for 30 minutes as the crew faffed about and had no clue what to do. Eventually the Pilot came to my rescue as he has a disabled daughter and thought he could manage to lift me on the chair. I agreed that he could help me and did so successfully.
I was now in the seat safely, but for the rest of the trip I was in agony as I am used to sitting in a pressure relieving cushion that is moulded to me. The fact that other people on the same flight were able to lie down in first class comfort is what really rankles.
I would like to say that this is where the story ends, but that is not the case. The accessible room that we were given was not fit for purpose and did not have enough room to swing a cat. The manual hoist that we were given by XXX Supplies had insulation tape all over electrical cable but there was still live copper wiring exposed which could have resulted in someone being shocked. We have photographic evidence of this.
The shower chair that they provided also didn’t fit over the toilet basin and was rather rusty. It had clearly seen better days and after taking a shower and getting dried by my PA’s I fell on the floor again as the arms of the chair both gave way. My PA’s managed to hoist me back on the bed and we contacted XXX Supplies to replace the equipment immediately. They did so, but it is not good enough as I should never have been given such equipment that was unfit for purpose.
There were other little niggles, and the flight home was also uncomfortable. There was a lack of dignity towards myself as my stomach and chest were exposed as the disability crew helped me on the plane in Florida and off it in Manchester. This was embarrassing enough for me, but just imagine if I was a female. I can’t just sit back and accept that disabled people don’t deserve to travel with the same ease as everyone else in society.
Any advice on how to go about this campaign and to try to get some compensation for my experiences would be greatly appreciated. I need to try to make a difference even if as I fear my voice will not be heard.
The whole trip was a real eye opener and showed how disabled unfriendly the world is.
Look forward to hearing from you and any help you can provide would be most appreciated.
Nathan
