Getting in the Painted Desert Inn

The historic Painted Desert Inn in the Petrified Forest National Park is open again after 18 months of restoration. And now it has an accessible entrance.

Big on huge

Accommodations on Royal Caribbean's newest -- and largest ever -- ship include "a six-person wheelchair accessible family stateroom (423 square feet with a 120 square foot balcony), featuring a curtained-off sleeping alcove with bunk beds, sleeper sofa, an accessible bathroom and shower, and accessible closets."

A different kind of rental vehicle for Avis

Avis is not just cars anymore. They have launched scooter rentals too in some limited locations. It's part of the company's Access Avis program.

You knew it had to be for safety's sake

Australian airline Quantas justifies its policy of limiting the number of wheelchair using passengers to two per flight (reportedly just on some types of aircraft) because of -- surprise! -- safety. An executive told the Sydney Morning Herald that the limits were due to potential stowage safety hazards. Oh yes and reduced staff. The move has angered a former spokeswoman for the airline, wheelchair racer Louise Sauvage, who said: "I am very disappointed (Quantas) have taken this line." Fellow wheelchair athlete Paul Nunnari summed up the attitude toward travelers with disabilities at Quantas and Virgin Blue well: "We don't have to care about you. You guys are the last on the list."It appears Australia is becoming the flashpoint for such battles for the time being.

More on this from Broken Clay Journal too.

Traditional not always best

Edinburgh Scotland will soon have new taxi cabs that better accommodate wheelchairs. There are some trade-offs versus the traditional British cab. But the main difference, a wider turning radius, seems like a decent exchange for the better accessibility and other features, including anti-lock brakes.

Paying the way for a better cab ride

In Chicago you will soon see more advertising on cabs. But before you locals get grumpy about this and lament how it's so New York, consider this piece of info from a Chicago Tribune article:
"The advertising revenues should help cab owners pay for technological improvements required by the city, including the addition of satellite navigation systems in all vehicles by next year, he said. As well, large-fleet owners are being asked to add hybrid vehicles and more wheelchair-accessible vehicles to their operations."
Let's hope the pressure is applied to help the taxi companies follow through on this.

Rockin' rides in Rockford

The Forest City Queen riverboat and Trolley Car 36 are two ways you can sightsee the Rock River in northern Illinois near Rockford. And both are wheelchair accessible.

Virgin gives in

Virgin Blue airlines, after a week of pounding on the issue, now says it will not require disabled passengers to travel with a companion. The policy was widely exposed after Paralympian Paul Nunnari was told he would need to travel with a companion on the airline. "... I mean as a service as you would expect with any kind of service, it's like when you invite someone over for dinner, you accommodate them and as an airline I would expect they would accommodate all their passengers," Nunnari said

Not us!

SA airlines (South Africa?) denies it requires disabled people to travel with another person or they will be removed from flights. The ANC parliamentary caucus says otherwise.