I started TheTravellingPara.com after a pretty rough period of travel with my wheelchair. In a relatively short stretch of time, my personal wheelchair had been damaged four separate times, and on one occasion, it was even left behind in Auckland while I ended up in Sydney.
As anyone who relies on a wheelchair will understand, that’s not just an inconvenience. That’s your mobility, your independence, and your daily life left somewhere else.
Our mobility devices are the equivalent of our legs, and without them, we are completely stuck. The anxiety this creates when we travel is extremely disabling. You spend the entire flight wondering whether your chair will be there when you land, and if it is, whether it will be in one piece.
I spent 18 years working as a negotiator in New Zealand, and that experience taught me something important. You can get angry about a problem, or you can sit down at the table and try to change it.
After that run of damaged chairs and very stressful travel, I decided to try to get involved instead of just getting frustrated. That decision was really the beginning of the website, the meetings, the conversations with airlines, and the presentations I now give about travelling as a wheelchair user.
One of the things I am most proud of is being invited by the Qantas Global Training Manager to speak to baggage handlers at the Sydney Domestic Terminal who handle Qantas aircraft. I gave them what I hoped was a thought-provoking talk. I wasn’t there to blame anyone. I was there to try to create understanding and empathy, to explain what it actually means when a wheelchair is damaged, and what it means to the people who rely on those chairs every single day.
Following that, I was also asked to be part of a training video, which I did, and that video is now used globally in the training of staff who handle Qantas aircraft worldwide. When I was told that, I realised that maybe these conversations really can lead to change.
Since starting the website and becoming more involved with the airlines, I’ve now travelled on five international flights, three domestic flights in the United States, and four domestic flights within Australia, across five different airlines: Qantas, Air New Zealand, American Airlines, Virgin Australia, and WestJet.
And here’s the important part.
My wheelchair made every single one of those flights without damage.
Now, I know that doesn’t mean the problem is solved, and I know there are still many people having very bad experiences. But I would be lying if I said I didn’t feel like something is starting to change, or at the very least, that the conversations are starting to be heard.
The in-flight crews, in particular, have been wonderful. They understand why we remain in our aircraft seats until someone can physically confirm that our wheelchairs have been brought to the aircraft door when we arrive. That small moment of understanding makes a very big difference to us.
But I also know very well that I am not alone. There are many people around the world pushing for the same thing: better handling, better systems, better training, and most importantly, more respect for wheelchairs and the people who rely on them.
If you are reading this and you know someone who relies on a mobility device, please pass this on to them. I would really like people to make contact with me through TheTravellingPara.com and share their stories, both the good and the bad. The good stories are important because they show what is working. The bad stories are important because they show what still needs to change. Photos are also incredibly helpful because they help show the reality of what happens during travel.
Because for us, this isn’t about luggage.
- It’s about our legs.
- It’s about our independence.
- It’s about whether we can work, travel, see family, and live our lives.
So yes, I do hope things are getting better. I really do. Because the reality is this:
We don’t just check in our wheelchairs like luggage.
We are checking in, our legs.
Until then, I’ll keep doing what I’m doing.
And I know many others will too.
Stuart
TheTravellingPara.com 🦽🇦🇺🇳🇿