Making travel friendly for the disabled

It has been some time since I last travelled overseas. The last time I flew out of the country was in the early 1990s. Things were pretty okay then.

All I had to do was to turn up with my wheelchair and the airport would do the rest.

They would help me to transfer from my personal wheelchair into their aisle chair. This was necessary because, as the name suggests, these special chairs were narrow enough to negotiate through the aisle pathway in an aircraft.

But what's the situation today, when it comes to travelling, for disabled people?

My friend, Yam Tong Woo, just returned from Europe after spending close to six weeks in London, the Czech Republic and Germany.

The 61-year-old suddenly became totally blind eight years ago following a nasty infection in both eyes. But his blindness has never stopped him from occasionally spending holidays in other countries with his sighted wife.

Things could have been better organised when he and his wife turned up at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) during their departure in mid-July, Yam told me. 

The passenger departure area was virtually like a packed marketplace with passengers waiting to board their flight. There were no clear signs as to which counter disabled passengers should go to.

However, experience had taught the Yams that the best thing to do was to ask the staff. They did, and were given a number to look for the special counter for the disabled, elderly and parents with young children.

"However, no staff offered to guide me there, leaving me with nightmares about what would have happened had I travelled alone without my wife to help me?" Yam pointed out.

He also added that it was disappointing to note that there were able-bodied persons queuing at the counter.

In London, it was very different.

The moment Yam and his wife walked out of the plane, they were immediately approached by an airport staff.

The couple were then guided through all the airport's protocol right up to the pickup area where their son was waiting for them in his car.

The assistance they got took them a mere 15 minutes to get out of the airport. Otherwise, it would have taken them two to three hours to accomplish, said Yam.
 
Yam pointed out that he was very touched that this was done for them even without their requesting for help.

Wouldn't it be great if our airports too had such standard operating procedures for disabled travellers?

Other friends of mine also tell me that they only get such treatment when they request for it in our country.

But I think it is high time we go a step further in what our international airports do the moment they see disabled travellers.
 
Here are other things that impressed the Yams during their overseas trip:

• Buses and trains are always on time: This is an added boost for blind people. Not only does it aid them to catch their public transport (without having to worry if they missed their bus which never arrived) but it saves time, and makes it easier to plan their travel way ahead.
   
• All buses are designed with low floors: This makes it easy for wheelchairs, mothers with prams, the elderly and even the blind to access them. Buses also have audio (for the blind) and visual (for the deaf) announcements for each destination. Through them, the blind can tell exactly where they are going to and when to disembark.
   
• Barrier-free environment: Everywhere Yam went, he didn't have to worry about knocking into public signboards because of its low height or lack of hazard signs to warn him of hazards on the road. There were audible traffic lights to let him know when it was safe to cross the road.
   
• Facilities for special needs persons: Ample car parks are provided for disabled persons as well as for persons with children and more. Disabled persons are given disability passes from the local councils (with approval from doctors) together with a time display to indicate how long (in minutes and hours) they intend to use their passes. They can park anywhere. Enforcement officers promptly check on them to make sure no one abuses the privilege. Heavy penalties are imposed on abusers. The disabled passes are provided with a minimum fee but all car parks for the handicapped are free.

Nothing, however, beats the civic consciousness of the public in the UK for persons with disabilities, Yam noted.

During their trip, they were unable to board a bus in Prague, the capital city of the Czech Republic, because there were no seats left. (Standing was prohibited by law).

The bus driver advised they wait for another 10 minutes for the next bus. However, no sooner had the bus started moving away a few metres when it suddenly stopped. An able-bodied couple got off the bus and insisted that Yam and his wife took the bus instead and said they would catch the next bus.

Upon arrival in Malaysia, while taking the train from the KLIA gate to the main terminal, Yam received a rude shock when two able-bodied passengers who were friends grabbed the only available seat leaving Yam to stand during the whole journey. – September 21, 2015.

* This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insider.