The FlightChecker is a unique tool specifically designed to help find these budget airlines' sales seats. Eg you can ask it to find all the £10 and under flights during Dec, either to a specific destination or select 'I'll go anywhere'

17 Wheelchair Accessible Rentals and Vacation accommodation in Devon and Cornwall.

Bowdens Crest has a purpose built Aztec caravan, which can sleep 5 persons, that has been adapted for wheelchair users, with wide corridors, sliding doors and ramped access. The large  bathroom has a bath with a shower over it and is also fitted with hand rails in all of the usual places. Blue badge holders can also park alongside.

Accommodation comprises of one single room and one double, with the lounge becoming a second double room if required.

The caravan is equipped with  TV/Video player, microwave, Oven and Hob. The park has a shop, laundry and a licensed bar which offers a variety of meals, if you do not want to cook for yourself.

More details about the caravan here
 

Travel industry 'failing to cater for disabled'



Britain's leading travel companies are failing to serve the needs of  disabled travellers, new research has found.

The study, carried out by Tourism for All, a British-based charity that  specialises in travel for the disabled, found that 85 per cent of respondents did not believe travel agents understand the needs of  disabled    travellers, and 78 per cent did not feel they were catered for  by high street agents. The survey also found that 35 per cent would not consider booking with a mainstream travel agent.

There are approximately 10 million adults and 750,000 children in the UK who suffer from some form of disability. It is estimated that a quarter of these  regularly travel abroad.

Brian Seaman, head of consultancy at Tourism for All, said the travel industry needs to do more to understand the needs of disabled travellers.

"We have conducted independent research in the past by sending disabled travellers to the high street to find a disabled-friendly holiday to Majorca,"  he said. "In every case, not one travel agent was able to offer a product that might have resulted in a booking. The agents had  great difficulty in finding suitable accommodation and when it came to visiting the accommodation on the island that they were able to find, they turned out not to be as accessible for disabled people as the agents had suggested."

Keith Richards, head of professional development at Abta, the travel association, admitted that the level of awareness of disability issues within its membership was not as high as it should be, but said there had been a big improvement in recent years.

"In June we will be launching our e-learning tool on accessible travel for all our members. We're developing this jointly with the Equality and Human Rights Commission to tackle the issues raised here," he said. "The services are mostly provided overseas where there is rarely any legal framework to provide access to goods and services generally, let alone hotel or tourism services. It is left to British tour operators and agents to try to find out how accessible a hotel is."

Jane Witherington, commercial and market development manager at the Co-operative Travel, which commissioned the Tourism for All research,  has promised to improve its service to disabled travellers.

"We have launched a new tailored service aimed specifically at disabled travellers," she said, "and trained staff from 40 branches nationwide to ensure that they are up to speed with all aspects of holidays  for people 
who require specialist travel."

This week Expedia, the online travel agent, launched new search tools designed to help disabled travellers find accessible accommodation. The move follows a court case in the US last year that resulted in Expedia  being instructed to add content and search features to its websites that would allow people  with disabilities to reserve rooms. The service is currently only available on the US website.

Leonard Cheshire, a British charity that supports disabled people, has given  warning that many airports still fail to meet the needs of disabled  passengers, despite EU laws introduced in 2008 that make it  the responsibility of airports to provide assistance to disabled travellers. The Civil Aviation Authority is close to completing its own  report on how these laws have been implemented.
 

Airport body scanners 'may be unlawful'

The use of airport body scanners in the UK may be unlawful, the Equality and Human Rights Commission has warned.

Scanners already in place at Heathrow and Manchester Airports may be breaking discrimination law as well as breaching passengers' rights to privacy, it said.

It has now written a letter to Transport Secretary Lord Adonis.

The government said security concerns meant scanners had been needed immediately, but it was carrying out an equalities impact assessment.

The scanners are being introduced in response to the alleged attempt to blow up an American plane on 25 December.

But the commission said it had "serious doubts" that the decision to roll them out in UK airports was legal.

It said one of its chief concerns was over how people would be selected for the scans.

'Vulnerable groups'

Its chairman, Trevor Phillips, said: "The right to life is the ultimate human right and we support the government's review of security policies.

"State action like border checks, stop-and-search and full body scanning are undertaken for good reasons.

"But, without proper care, such policies can end up being applied in ways which do discriminate against vulnerable groups or harm good community relations."

Liberal Democrat home affairs spokesman Chris Huhne MP agreed.

He said: "The government seems intent on pressing ahead with the use of body scanners without addressing any of the privacy concerns and safeguard issues raised by the Liberal Democrats and others.

"The commission is right to suggest that security measures cannot simply be introduced without due respect for the rule of law."

Code of practice

The commission has previously said scanners could breach an individual's right to privacy under the Human Rights Act.

It has also previously written to the home secretary to ask that he set out in detail the justification for bringing in the scanners, and clarify what safeguards will be put in place.

They produce "naked" images of passengers, and the commission then said it was concerned especially for the privacy of certain groups such as disabled people, the elderly, children and the transgendered community.

The Department for Transport said it had published a staff code of practice for the scanners.

A spokesperson said passengers who were randomly selected for screening would not be chosen because of any personal characteristics.

"Given the current security threat level, we believe it was essential to start introducing scanners immediately.

"We are currently carrying out a full equalities impact assessment on the code of practice, which will be published shortly when we begin a public consultation on these issues."
 

Ryanair accused of 'profiteering'

Ryanair has been accused of "blatant profiteering" over plans to add 50p to ticket prices to cover the cost of supplying free wheelchairs at airports.
The airline was ordered to provide free wheelchairs after being sued for discrimination by a disabled passenger charged £18 to use one at Stansted.

Labour's Lord Carter, who heads a committee examining the Disability Discrimination Bill, made the charge.

He said the actual cost of the service at Stansted was only about 2p a ticket.

However, Lord Davies of Oldham said it may be the case but there was nothing the government could do.

Legal change

He said fares were "entirely a matter for individual airlines" and Ryanair was, in any case, not a UK firm.

Former Tory cabinet minister Lord Forsyth of Drumlean added: "If the British Airports Authority can afford to provide free parking for MPs, surely they can afford wheelchairs for disabled people."

Lord Davies said current law limited airlines' responsibility for disabled people to the time when they were actually on an aircraft.

This would be changed by the Disability Discrimination Bill.

Ryanair said it would need to introduce the 50p charge after Bob Ross, a community worker from London, sued the company.

A court ruled Mr Ross, who has cerebral palsy, had been discriminated against after being charged for the use of a wheelchair.

Ryanair vowed to appeal against the decision and said it was the airports' responsibility to provide wheelchairs.
 

EDITORS NOTE : As we have reported before in "disabledsouthwest" - New legislation supporting the rights of disabled travellers Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 July 2006, now defines the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air.

Most children enjoy travelling and this is especially beneficial for children who are disabled, as it allows them the opportunity to experience the wider world and enjoy the same opportunities as a non disabled child.


Travelling By Car
If you are the parent of a disabled child, who needs additional assistance in getting around, it is possible to claim the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance. This is available at two rates. The lower rate is for children aged five and above who need more help to get around than children of the same age who are not disabled. The higher rate is available for children who are three and above and who have a severe disability.

If you are a driver, it may not be necessary for you to pay road tax on your vehicle. If the car is used to enable your child to get around, it is possible for you to apply for a Certificate of Exemption from Road Tax. Check what benefits you have to be in receipt of in order to qualify for this exemption.

The Motability Scheme may also be able to assist you in buying or leasing a car, using the higher rate motability component of your child's Disability Living Allowance.

Blue Badge Scheme
You are able to apply for a Blue Badge if your child is aged two and above and in receipt of the higher rate mobility Disability Living Allowance or has a disability that either makes them unable to walk or walk with great difficulty. The Blue Badge Scheme allows holders to park in restricted areas, such as on yellow lines, although there are often time restrictions attached to this and it is essential you find out what these are before leaving your car. A Blue Badge allows you to park nearer to places that you need to access.

There is also the Family Fund that can help you learn to drive, as long as you have access to a car, if you have a child that is severely disabled. The Family Fund can also sometimes offer financial assistance for transport to hospital as well as holidays and days out.

You may also be able to get assistance with fares for travelling to hospital, and even staying overnight, if you are on some benefits. Check out the availability of this with your local hospital. If travelling with your child on public transport is not a practical option it is worth asking about transport by ambulance, hospital car or financial assistance with taxi fares.

Another option is to apply for a community care grant. This will help you pay for fares to hospital. Although, be aware, that their budget is very limited and you may not always be lucky enough to receive financial assistance.

Getting To School
If your child is of primary school age, and travels a distance further than two miles to school, check with your Local Education Authority on arrangements for getting your child to and from school. If your child is of secondary school age the distance involved is more than three miles. Ask about what training the drivers and escorts have received.

Should you take your child to and from school yourself, the Local Education Authority may meet your travelling costs by offering you a set rate per mile. The Local Education Authority may also be able to offer help if your child lives within walking distance of their school.

It may be possible for the Local Education Authority to make travel arrangements for your child, even if you live closer to the school than the distances outlined above. This could be, for example, that your other children attend different schools.

Article courtesy of  www.disabledtraveladvice.co.uk

In the news ...

A DISABLED man from York was charged £113 extra to travel on a Eurostar  train to Paris because he was told the only disabled area was in a first  class carriage.

The mistake was later acknowledged by the train company, but only after  60-year-old Alan Sage’s travel agent took up the battle on his behalf.

The trip had been part of a holiday to the French capital to celebrate Mr Sage’s 60th birthday on January 1, and had been booked by his wife. The couple were also travelling with two friends and all four have now been  granted first class travel as “a gesture of goodwill” from Eurostar.

Mr Sage, who uses a wheelchair, said: “My wife booked this for my birthday  for four of us to go to Paris. They came back to say we would have to pay extra because their disabled  area was in first class. They wanted an extra £113 and the couple we were going with had to pay an  extra £300. “To charge people extra for being in first class when you can’t go anywhere 
else is not on.”

Paul Smith, owner of Quartz Travel in Heworth and organiser of the trip,  said: “We booked it and confirmed it then they rang back and said we would  have to pay  extra. “I have been fighting this for two months.”

A spokesman for Eurostar put the extra charges down to a mistake with one  of their own travel agents. He said the disabled spaces were located in first class because there were  more staff and the doors were wider.

“If you have a wheelchair you may sit there (in first class), with one  companion, at no added cost,” he said. “In this incident, because of a mix-up, the client was told he would have to pay more.

“As a gesture of goodwill the four have been allowed to travel together.”
 

Q. What if my train is (was) cancelled / delayed?
ALWAYS keep the receipts. Arrive over an hour late (or not at all) and the Association of Train Operating Companies says you're usually entitled to a full refund on advance tickets. Even if only 30 mins late you can sometimes get half back. Claim forms are at most stations.

Q. My flight's been cancelled/delayed. Will I be reimbursed?
Under EU regulations, you're entitled to a full refund on unused tickets if cancelled at short notice. If you're delayed by over five hours or alternative transport is not suitable, you can choose not to travel and get a full refund. Most major airlines abide by these rules so contact yours to claim. For more, including delays when you DO travel see the Cold Weather Rights news story.

If you need travel money or want to buy off foreign websites, you can easily boost your spending power by £100s with the best exchange rates. This step by step guide finds your cheapest deal for every holiday. It may be the top specialist overseas credit or prepaid card or using the free Travel Money Maximiser tool for the best currency conversion wherever you go.

Plus a special warning for anyone with Halifax, RBS, NatWest, Abbey or Lloyds TSB Debit cards, these are the cards from hell. Use them abroad and you could waste a fortune.