All Wheels Up advocating for air travel equality for wheelchair users

For those wheelchair users travelling by air, there’s nothing that elevates your blood pressure to the max than reaching your destination and seeing your wheelchair damaged to the point of not being able to use it, leaving you with practically no options at that point. We came across All Wheels Up, a non-profit organization advocating for equality in air travel for those using mobility devices.

Example of how a wheelchair will be restrained once on board the plane.

Their stated goal is for all those in power chairs, as well as properly modified manual chairs, to independently maneuver themselves onto the plane with their chairs. They’re working with aircraft manufactures and air carriers to look to the future and make appropriate changes for the disabled, just as building owners and other transportation companies have already done due to the ADA.

As someone who’s done his fair share of travelling by wheelchair, NorCal SCI co-founder, Franklin, knows what an uphill battle this will be. There are so many variables with every wheelchair that need to be taken into account, i.e. what happens when a power wheelchair user needs to do a weight shift by doing a full tilt/recline? Where is that space going to come from? They’re also suggesting that using wheelchair restraints from Q’Straint, they’ll be able to meet the safety requirements. They claim that such restraints are stronger than the airline seats but what happens when the plane lands in water and while the airline seats can be used potentially as flotation devices, but the wheelchair? How do you get through the aisles to your designated seat?

Obviously, this is at the early stages of what will be a lengthy process and you’ve got to start somewhere. We’re happy that they’ve got the ball rolling and the conversation started.