DISABILITY TRAVEL IN THE UNITED STATES: RECENT RESEARCH AND FINDINGS Van Horn, Laurel Open Doors Organization, Chicago, IL, U.S. firstname.lastname@example.orgSUMMARYKey Words: accessible travel, disability travel, air travel, accessible tourism, travelers withdisabilities, long distance travelPURPOSE OF THE STUDYThe purpose of this paper is to report and compare the salient findings of recent research ontravel by Americans with disabilities. Until 2002, when Open Doors Organization (ODO)sponsored its first nationwide study on travel by adults with disabilities (ODO 2002), conductedby Harris Interactive, there had never been a major, statistically reliable survey on the USdisability travel market. No one could say with any assurance what percentage of adults withdisabilities were traveling, how frequently, what modes of public transportation they used or howmuch they spent. This meant that corporations in the travel industry had no data on which to baseinvestment decisions and thus little incentive to do more than the minimum required under TitleIII of the Americans with Disabilities Act.In 2002 the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS) carried out its own TransportationAvailability and Use Survey (BTS 2002 cited in BTS 2003) which explored not only travel bypublic transportation but also private vehicle. Its sample was divided evenly between disabledand non-disabled respondents of all ages. The motivation was the “critical lack ofinformation...[on] transportation use by people with physical, mental or emotional disabilities,”but the goal in this case was “to create an information source for transportation planners andpolicy makers…” rather than the private sector (BTS 2003, p.3). While it focused primarily onlocal transportation, the BTS study also covered long distance travel. Findings from this surveyhave been released in several reports including Freedom to Travel (BTS 2003) and TravelPatterns of Older Americans with Disabilities (Sweeney 2004).In 2005, ODO sponsored a second nationwide study which explored in greater depth the barriersfacing travelers with disabilities in airports and airplanes as well as hotels and restaurants (ODO2005). The 2005 study also examined how these travelers planned and booked trips andidentified which destinations are most popular.Further evidence of the difficulties facing air travelers with disabilities was revealed inSeptember 2005 by the first Annual Report on Disability-Related Air Travel Complaints,presented to the US Congress by the Secretary of Transportation (US DOT 2005). The secondsuch report followed in October 2006 (US DOT 2006). These annual reports, mandated under afederal law known as AIR-21, list complaints by both the disability of the complainant and thenature of the service failure. Since the data is reported in the aggregate for 1) all airlines servingthe U.S. market, 2) foreign airlines and 3) domestic airlines, as well as for individual carriers,
one can use the reports either to assess the performance of the industry overall or to make aninformed decision on which carriers to select or avoid.Taken together, these studies and reports corroborate and complement each other to provide adetailed portrait of the disability travel market in the US today, including the barriers which mayrestrict the frequency and types of long distance travel which individuals with disabilities arewilling to undertake. Indeed, Open Doors Organization projected that the market could easilydouble if these problems with service and facilities were resolved (ODO 2002, p.68).METHODOLOGY AND OBJECTIVES1. 2002 and 2005 ODO Travel Market StudiesBoth studies by the Open Doors Organization were carried out by Harris Interactive using thesame methodology for each so as to make trending possible. ODO plans to sponsor its nexttravel study using identical methodology in 2008, with preliminary qualitative research to beconducted in 2007.For the 2002 ODO Study, the total sample included 1,037 interviews with adults withdisabilities: 534 interviews conducted online, using The Harris Poll Online Database, and 503interviews conducted by telephone, using a prescreened sample of adults with disabilities fromThe Harris Poll. Interviewing took place between September 23 and October 9, 2002. Theinterviews were an average of 21 minutes in length, both online and by telephone. To developthe questionnaire, ODO held focus groups within the disability community in Chicago and alsoconducted telephone interviews with business leaders from across the US (ODO 2002, p.5).Disability was defined as “having blindness, deafness or a condition that substantially limits oneor more basic physical activities such as walking, climbing stairs, reaching, lifting or carrying”(ODO 2002, p.5). Respondents were screened based on these criteria using a variation of the2000 Census question. Fifteen percent of the general adult population (or more than 31 millionadults aged 18 and older) defines themselves as having one or more of these characteristics. Thisdata on the incidence of adults with disabilities was obtained through The Harris Poll (The HarrisPoll November 2002 cited in ODO 2002) and based on the 209,128,094 people aged 18 yearsand older in the US population, according to the 2000 US Census. The data was weighted torepresent the populations with these disabilities aged 18 and older.In 2005, the methodology used was identical to that of the earlier study (ODO 2005, p.3). Thetotal sample consisted of 1,373 interviews among adults with disabilities, 871 online and 502 byphone. Interviewing took place between February 8 and 28, 2005. Interviews were an average of21 minutes in length on the telephone and 16 minutes online. The data was weighted as in 2002,with the data on the incidence of adults with disabilities obtained by The Harris Poll (The HarrisPoll November 2005 cited in ODO 2005) and based again on the 2000 US Census.For the 2002 ODO Study, the key objectives were to: 1) “measure general travel behaviorsincluding how often adults with disabilities are traveling, with whom, how much they spend, andon which sources of information they rely to make decisions;” 2) “gauge experiences withairlines, cruise lines, restaurants, and hotels;” 3) “determine how well the needs of adults withdisabilities are being met by airlines and hotels;” 4) “quantify the top services/products thatwould encourage adults with disabilities to fly and stay in hotels more often;” and 5) “estimate
the current and potential economic impact of the disability community” (ODO 2002, p.4).For the 2005 ODO Study, the key objectives were to 1) “measure general travel behaviorsincluding how often adults with disabilities are traveling, how much money they spend, andwhich sources of information they rely on to make decisions;” 2) “gauge experiences withairlines, airports, car rental agencies, hotels, and restaurants;” 3) “determine the obstacles thatadults with disabilities encounter with airlines, airports, hotels, and restaurants;” 4) “estimate thecurrent and potential economic impact of the disability community;” and 5) “compare 2005findings to the 2002 study to uncover possible trends and differences over time” (ODO 2005,p.4).2. BTS 2002 National Transportation Availability and Use SurveyThe Bureau of Transportation Statistics study involved 5,019 interviews, 2,321 with individualswho self-identified as having a disability and 2,698 with non-disabled individuals. By surveyingequal numbers of persons with and without disabilities, the BTS study sought “to compare thetwo groups and identify common transportation uses and problems as well as uses and problemsunique to each group” (BTS 2003, p.14). Persons of any age, including children, were eligiblealthough proxy interviews were used for those under 16, 16-17 year-olds living with adults, andthose unable to complete the interview due to their disability (BTS 2003, p.13). The interviewstook place between July 12, 2002 and September 29, 2002 (BTS 2003, p.14).Because the methodology, sampling and weighting techniques used in the BTS survey arecomplex, readers are referred to the Freedom to Travel report (BTS 2003, p.12-16) for a fulldescription. In brief, a nationally representative set of telephone numbers was first selectedthrough list-assisted random-digit dialing techniques. A two-stage process of computer-assistedtelephone interviewing was then used to select and survey the respondents. During the firstscreener interview, households who had someone with a disability were identified. In the secondextended interview, the selected respondent was asked to confirm his or her disability statusbefore answering the survey questions. In order to ensure full access, interviews were alsoconducted via TTY or TDD and the questionnaire was available by mail and Internet.Survey respondents were asked to “self-identify disability according to several definitions,specifically: the Census 2000 definition, the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)definition, which considers disability as a ‘physical or mental impairment that substantiallylimits one or more of the major life activities;’ and if a child in the household received ‘specialeducation services’” (BTS 2003, p.3). However, disability data presented in Freedom to Travel(BTS, 2003) and Travel Patterns of Older Americans with Disabilities (Sweeney, 2004) are onlyfrom respondents who self-identified using the Census 2000disability definition in order toprovide comparability with the Census.Topics covered in the survey included: 1) “frequency of travel outside the home, including trippurpose, mode of transportation, frequency of use of different modes, need for assistance, andsatisfaction with transportation services;” 2) “availability of paratransit (curb-to-curb service)and respondent use of paratransit;” 3) “motor vehicle ownership, use and safety issues, includingvehicles modified for use by people with disabilities;” and 4) “experiences when using various
modes of travel, including difficulties with public and private transportation” (BTS 2003, p.3).This paper will focus just on topics related to long distance travel and transportation.3. US DOT Annual Reports on Disability Related Air Travel ComplaintsIn July 8, 2003, the US Department of Transportation published a final rule to implement therequirements of the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century(Public Law 106-181), known as AIR-21. The rule requires all air carriers operating to, from orwithin the United States and using at least one aircraft having a designated seating for more than60 passengers to report complaints of discrimination or lack of accessibility by passengers withdisabilities (US DOT 2005, p.1). The Secretary of Transportation, in turn, must issue an annualreport to the US Congress summarizing these complaints. Prior to AIR-21, the DOT had accessto only those complaints sent directly to them, a fraction of the whole, which made it hard tojudge how well the airlines serving the US market were abiding by the Air Carrier Access Act of1986, which prohibits discriminatory treatment of persons with disabilities in air transportation.To make the reporting process manageable, the airlines must use the DOT’s standardizedcategories for the passenger’s type of disability and the nature of their complaint, which eachnumber 13 in all. The aggregate results are presented in the form of grids so that one can matchtype of disability with nature of complaint (US DOT 2005, 2006).The first report to Congress covers disability-related complaints received by the carriers duringthe calendar year 2004, with data due to the DOT by January 25, 2005. The second report coversthe calendar year 2005, with airline data due by January 30, 2006. In each case, a number of aircarriers did not report and are currently under investigation (US DOT 2006, p.4). The USDepartment of Transportation notes in both Annual Reports that it neither audits or verifies thedata but simply reports it as received (US DOT 2005, p.3; 2006, p.5).RESULTS1. 2002 Open Doors Organization Travel Market StudyThe 2002 ODO Study found that 71% of adults with disabilities, or more than 22 million people,travel at least once in a two-year period. This includes 5.6 million business travelers, 21 millionpleasure/leisure travelers and 5 million travelers who combine business and pleasure. Overall,adults with disabilities take about 2 trips every 2 years, or approximately 63 million total trips,the majority of which are for pleasure (ODO 2002, p.7). Each trip generally lasts 5 days. There isalso a subgroup of more frequent travelers: 20% of all adults with disabilities travel at least 6times every 2 years (see figure 1). “While traveling, the typical adult with a disability spends$430, which means travel expenditures among the disability population top $27 billion over thecourse of 2 years” (ODO 2002, p.8). On an annual basis, adults with disabilities spendapproximately $13.6 billion on travel.
When planning a trip, the Internet is a key resource for adults with disabilities. Almost half ofthose who travel (46%) say they consult the Internet for accessibility information. One-third(33%) of those who travel book their trips most frequently online, which appears to be somewhathigher than the general population. According to the Travel Industry Association (TIA), 27% oftravelers in 2002 used the Internet for actually booking something related to their travel duringthe past year (TIA cited in ODO 2002, p.9). Word of mouth is also an extremely importantsource of information for adults with disabilities: “85% of those who travel say they share theirtravel experiences with others, indicating a powerful network among travelers with disabilities”(ODO 2002, p.9).Almost one-third (30%) of adults with disabilities, or 9.4 million air travelers in total, traveled byair in the previous two years. Air travelers typically take 2 flights every two years and spend$349 per flight, which equates to $3.3 billion per year for the entire airline industry. “Airtravelers say they would take 2 more flights per year if airlines were to accommodate their needsas a person with a disability. This translates into 18.8 million more flights and means that airspending by the disability community could more than double if airlines were to make necessaryaccommodations.” The top features or services that airlines would need to offer to encouragemore frequent travel would be: “1) more accommodating staff, 2) guaranteed preferred seating,and 3) a designated employee at check-in and arrival” (ODO 2002, p.10).Over a five-year period, 12% of adults with disabilities took a cruise. This appears to besomewhat higher than the general population since, according to the Cruise Lines International
Association (CLIA), only 8% of the U.S. general population took a cruise during the same five-year period (CLIA 2002 Market Profile Study cited in ODO 2002, p.14). Among adults withdisabilities, the repeat business for cruises may be particularly high: 59% of those who took acruise in the previous five years say they plan to take another cruise within the next five years(ODO 2002, p.14).2. 2005 Open Doors Organization Travel Market Study In 2005, the percentage of adults with disabilities traveling and the number of trips takenremained roughly the same as in 2002. Sixty-nine percent of adults with disabilities, or morethan 21 million people, traveled at least once in the prior two years. This includes 3.9 millionbusiness travelers, 20 million pleasure/leisure travelers and 4.4 million travelers who combinebusiness and pleasure. They take 2 trips every two years, or approximately 63 million total trips,the majority of which are for pleasure (ODO 2005, p.7). As in 2002, there was a subgroup ofmore frequent travelers in the disability community—20% of all adults with disabilities travel atleast 6 times every 2 years (see figure 1)The Internet remains an important resource for adults with disabilities. Half of those who travel(51%) use the Internet to book their trips, which once again appears to exceed usage by thegeneral population. “According to the Travel Industry Association, 40% of travelers in 2005used the Internet for actually booking something related to their travel during the past year” (TIAcited in ODO 2005, p.9). Almost half (43%) of travelers in the ODO sample say they consult theInternet to support their disability-related travel needs. For these travelers, the top ways they usethe Internet are: finding and/or booking accessible hotels (57%); finding accessibilityinformation about airlines (47%); and finding accessible activities, tours, and attractions at theirdestination (47%) (ODO 2005, p.9).Compared to 2002, the percentage of adults with disabilities traveling by air over the 2-yearperiod stayed at approximately the same level: 31% or 9.6 million air travelers in total. Airtravelers typically took 2 flights every two years, as they did in 2002, and they spent $302 on airtravel per trip or $2.9 billion per year for the entire airline industry (ODO 2005, p.12).However, the vast majority of air travelers (84%) stated that they “encounter obstacles whendealing with airlines” (ODO 2005, p.12). Topping the list were physical obstacles (67%), withcramped seating areas (52%) being the most common complaint. Problems withservice/personnel were also prevalent (60%), with long lines (42%) and problems reserving theirpreferred seat (20%) predominating. Respondents also reported expense-related obstacles (37%)and difficulties with communication (28%) including difficulty hearing announcements (17%).Four out of five air travelers (82%) also experience obstacles when they are at the airport, themost common being long distances to or between gates (63%) and long lines (48%). More thanone in four (27%) mentioned communication-related obstacles in the airports (ODO 2005, p.13).Despite these obstacles, air travel was by far the most popular form of paid transportation. Only11% of adults with disabilities had traveled by train or bus, making on average 1 such trip duringthe two-year period. Twenty percent of adults with disabilities, or 6.2 million people in all,rented a car over the course of two years. Car renters typically rent a car on 1 trip every twoyears and spend about $40 per day (ODO 2005, p.14).
To encourage destinations, domestic and international, to improve access and marketing totravelers with disabilities, the 2005 ODO Study also asked online respondents to identify whichcities and countries they had visited. Most popular in the continental US were New York City(47%), Washington, DC (45%), and Chicago (44%), edging out Orlando, Las Vegas, and LosAngeles (all tied at 42%). Other top ten destinations, in order, were San Francisco, Atlanta,Dallas, and San Diego (ODO 2005, p.8).Three out of five adults with disabilities (62%) who are online have traveled outside thecontinental United States at least once in their lifetime, the vast majority (85%) to other NorthAmerican destinations including Canada (56%) and Mexico (52%). More than two out of five(44%) of those who have traveled outside the continental United States have been to Europe,mostly to Germany (28%), England (26%), and France (25%). Almost one out of three (31%)who have traveled outside the continental United States have visited the Caribbean. In theprevious two years, 16% of online adults with disabilities traveled outside the continental UnitedStates. “The typical international traveler spent almost $1,600 on this travel, which meanscurrent international travel expenditures among the disability population top $7 billion over thecourse of two years” (ODO 2005, p.8).Finally, as noted above, the 2005 ODO Study identified a segment of adults with disabilities whomay be described as frequent or heavy travelers. One in five (20%) are frequent travelers,making 6 or more trips in a two-year period; 11% are heavy airline users, taking 3 or moreflights over two years; 21% are heavy hotel users, staying in hotels 4 or more times in two years;10% are heavy car renters, renting 2 or more cars in two years; and 7% are heavy internationalspenders, typically spending more than $1,000 on a trip outside of the continental U.S. in a two-year period (ODO 2005, p.8,35).3. BTS 2002 National Transportation Availability and Use SurveyAccording to the Freedom to Travel report, the 2002 BTS Survey found that over a one-yearperiod 60% of people with disabilities travel long distance (more than 100 miles one way) versus76% of those without disabilities (BTS 2003, p.9). Among both groups, the two most frequentlyused modes of transportation for long-distance travel are personal motor vehicles andcommercial airlines. Among long-distance travelers, 31.5% with disabilities had taken acommercial flight, compared to 40% of those without disabilities. Other types of transportationwere used much less frequently: only 5% or fewer of both disabled and non-disabled respondentsused an intercity bus, private/chartered bus or Amtrak/intercity rail (BTS 2003, p.9).A significantly higher percentage of air travelers with disabilities experience problems at airportsthan do their non-disabled counterparts, 55% versus 45%. The most frequently cited problemsfor both groups are schedules not being kept and restrictive security measures. However, thesegeneral issues were mentioned less often by travelers with disabilities than by the non-disabled.One in four travelers with disabilities (25.39%) complained of schedules not being keptcompared to more than one in three (37.66%) travelers with no disability. Restrictive securitymeasures bothered one in three (34.12%) travelers with disabilities versus almost one in two(49.13) travelers with no disability (BTS 2003, p.9). Instead, those with disabilities complainedmore often of staff assistance/poor sensitivity, inadequate seating, too much walking and
unavailable wheelchairs. More travelers with disabilities also experienced problems on airplanes,32.91% versus 23.61% of those without disabilities. In each case, the biggest grievance wasinadequate seating—68.61% among complainants with disabilities, 52.44% among those without(BTS 2003, p.36-37).4. DOT 2005 and 2006 Annual Reports on Disability-Related Air Travel ComplaintsThe Secretary of Transportation’s Annual Reports to Congress provide both summary anddetailed information on actual complaints filed by travelers with disabilities with the air carrierswith whom they traveled. The 2005 Report, which covered the calendar year 2004, includedcomplaint data submitted by 54 U.S. carriers and 97 foreign carriers. In all there were 11,519complaints, 10,193 to domestic carriers, 1,326 to foreign air carriers (US DOT 2005, p.3). In2006, 56 U.S. carriers and 100 foreign carriers submitted data for the calendar year 2005. In allthere were 13,584 complaints, 12,194 to domestic carriers and 1,390 to foreign carriers (US DOT2006, p.4). This represents an overall increase of over 17% from the previous year. Both reportsnote that “approximately 17 million persons with disabilities in the United States travel by aireach year and the vast majority of them do not file a disability-related air travel complaint” (USDOT 2005, p.3; 2006, p.4).In both calendar years, “more than half the complaints reported concerned the failure toprovide adequate assistance to persons using wheelchairs” (US DOT 2006, p.4). For all types ofdisability, failure to provide adequate assistance made up 66.6% of total complaints in 2004 and65.6% in 2005. Seating accommodations was the second most common problem, making up11% of total complaints in 2004 and 9.5% in 2005. Damage to assistive devices, mostlywheelchairs, ranked third in both years with complaints in this category rising from 4.7% in 2004to 6.5% in 2005 (US DOT 2005, 2006). While foreign air carriers have a higher percentage ofcomplaints about wheelchair damage, their level of complaints in this category remained stableat slightly over 15%, while complaints to US carriers rose from 3.3% in 2004 to 5.5% in 2005. Ingeneral both the disability of complainants and the problems reported were remarkably stablefrom year to year. In both 2004 and 2005, 68% of those filing complaints with airlines identifiedthemselves as wheelchair users. “Other disabilities” was the second largest category at roughly19-20%. Complainants with hearing or vision loss or both made up 3% or less of the total (USDOT 2005, 2006).DISCUSSION As both the ODO Studies and BTS Survey show, the travel market among Americans withdisabilities is sizeable. Although one cannot strictly compare their results since ODO excludedchildren and persons with mental/cognitive disabilities from its samples, both reveal that themajority of Americans with disabilities are making long distance trips. In the BTS survey, 60%of respondents traveled within a one-year period, while 71% of the ODO respondents in 2002and 69% in 2005 had traveled over a two-year period, making on average 2 trips. By referencinga two-year period in its surveys, ODO explicitly seeks to include that part of the market thattravels less frequently but nonetheless does travel long distance. Respondents taking 1 trip in atwo-year period totaled 11% in 2002 and 12% in 2005 (see figure 1).
Among those traveling long distance, 31.49% in the BTS Survey used a commercial airplane(BTS 2003, Table 29, p.350), which equates to 10.2 million air travelers with disabilities per year[not 17 million, as the DOT erroneously reported to Congress. To arrive at this inflated figure,the DOT multiplied 31.49% by the total number of Americans with disabilities (54 million),rather than by the 59.9% (or 32.3 million) who had actually made long distance trips (see USDOT 2005, p.3)]. ODO’s 2002 Study found that 30% of adults with disabilities, or 9.4 million,had flown over a one-year period, making an average of 2 flights each. In ODO’s 2005 Studythis increased to 31% or 9.6 million. Thus, the ODO and BTS estimates on air travel by personswith disabilities are very similar. So are their figures for long distance travel by bus and train.While BTS reports usage of 3.49% for intercity bus, 4.02% for private or chartered bus and5.15% for Amtrak/intercity train (figures that may overlap) over a one-year period (BTS 2003,table 28, p.34), ODO in 2005 found bus and train usage together to be 11% over two years. Paidground transport is clearly a much less favored option compared to both airplanes and personalmotor vehicles.While the BTS and ODO studies both explore the problems facing long distance travelers withdisabilities, the overall percentages and specific complaints vary significantly. In the 2005 ODOStudy, 84% of air travelers experienced problems with airlines and 82% with airports. Bycomparison, 33% of air travelers in the BTS Survey experienced problems with airplanes and55% with airports. As noted above, these percentages were significantly higher than for theirnon-disabled counterparts. In both ODO and BTS studies, problems with onboard seating toppedthe list of complaints against airlines. One should note that in the BTS Survey, “schedule notkept” somehow wound up in the airport rather than airline tally. The issue of long lines, a majorcomplaint among ODO respondents, was not a choice in the BTS Survey (BTS 2003, tables 30-31, p.33-37). On the other hand, ODO did not include general issues affecting all travelers suchas delayed flights.By standardizing the list of disability related complaints along with types of disability, theSecretary of Transportation’s Annual Reports (US DOT 2005, 2006) make year to yearcomparisons of this new data a much easier task. Although most air travelers with disabilities donot formally complain about the problems they face, this does not mean that their negativeexperiences are not affecting future travel plans. By taking the time to complain to the airlines,the travelers represented in these DOT reports signal the extreme seriousness of what happenedto them. Long lines, distant gates or narrow aisles may not warrant a formal complaint butmissing a flight because a wheelchair assist never came or having ones mobility device damagedcertainly do. Not surprisingly, from the two years of data now available, we see that individualsusing wheelchairs are the predominant complainants, with “failure to provide assistance” themost common complaint. A recent study by the Office of the Inspector General of the US DOTmay point to the main reason behind these service failures: lack of compliance with federalrequirements for training employees by both airlines and their contractors (OIG 2006, p.27-39).The Inspector General accordingly calls for both stricter requirements and enforcement.CONCLUSIONThanks to the studies referenced, we now know much more about American travelers withdisabilities than we did prior to 2002. Rather than just a problem to be faced—although the
above certainly indicates that many problems remain—travelers with disabilities now represent areal economic opportunity for the businesses who serve and market to them. Although the oldstereotype was that people with disabilities are too poor or incapacitated to travel, in actualitythey represent a broad spectrum of wealth and ability. Yes, many individuals are not travelinglong distance and may never leave their homes due to severe disability or poverty. At the otherend of the spectrum are a significant number of frequent or heavy travelers making multiple tripsper year and even spending heavily overseas. Internet use among travelers with disabilities, bothto plan and book travel, may exceed that of the general traveling public. So may the percentageof Americans with disabilities taking cruise vacations. As Baby Boomers age and become moreprone to disabling conditions over the next several decades, the need for greater accessibility intravel and tourism will continue to expand. That trend alone should guarantee many moreresearch studies to come, as businesses and governmental authorities demand yet more insightinto this complex and evolving market.REFERENCESBureau of Transportation Statistics, US Department of Transportation, 2002. TransportationAvailability and Use Survey. [internet]. Available from: www.bts.gov [cited 31 Jan. 2007].Bureau of Transportation Statistics, US Department of Transportation, 2003. Freedom to Travel,BTS03-08. [internet]. Available from: www.bts.gov/publications/freedom_to_travel [cited 31Jan. 2007].Office of the Inspector General, US Department of Transportation, 2006. Follow-Up Review:Performance of U.S. Airlines in Implementing Selected Provisions of the Airline CustomerService Commitment. [internet]. Available from: http://www.oig.dot.gov/StreamFile?file=/data/pdfdocs/ACSfinal11-21signed.pdf [cited 31 Jan. 2007].Open Doors Organization, 2002. Research Among Adults With Disabilities: Travel andHospitality. Chicago: Open Doors Organization.Open Doors Organization, 2005. Research Among Adults With Disabilities: Travel andHospitality. Chicago: Open Doors Organization.Sweeney, Meg, 2004. Travel Patterns of Older Americans with Disabilities, 2004-001-OAS.[internet]. Available from: www.bts.gov/programs/bts_working_papers/2004/paper_01/ [cited 31 Jan. 2007].US Department of Transportation, 2005. Annual Report on Disability-Related Air TravelComplaints. [internet]. Available from: http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/publications/gateway.htm [cited 31 Jan. 2007].US Department of Transportation, 2006. Annual Report on Disability-Related Air TravelComplaints. [internet]. Available from: http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/publications/gateway.htm [cited 31 Jan. 2007].
Paper presented at 11th International Conference on Mobility and Transport for Elderlyand Disabled Persons (TRANSED), Montreal, June 18-22, 2007