A welcome helping hand for disabled travellers

^{Agents Lynne Lewis, right, and daughter Victoria}

The agents are homeworkers, operating as members of the Global Travel Group, and frequently visit customers at home.

Around 20% of enquiries and bookings now cater for adults and children with disabilities or special needs. Layzell-Cianfini says the issues that concern most parents with a disabled child surround flying.

“Flying can be a very scary thing for them. Parents don’t realise there is an ambulift that takes them right up on to the aircraft, and they board before everyone else. There’s lots of special assistance that we can book, such as aircraft seats with additional support and belts,” she says.

The team often advises on airlines’ service for disabled passengers. “EasyJet is fantastic,” Layzell-Cianfini explains. “They offer you a front- or second-row seat with more room, and the staff are very well equipped. British Airways is amazing, and I’ve flown to Orlando with Alex on Virgin Atlantic and it was a real pleasure.”

"Everything we do is geared towards giving travellers security that they will be OK... It’s about taking the stress away"

She says a key part of the team’s role is offering advice to ensure holidays are as stress-free as possible. They often suggest single parents take an au pair or carer on trips to provide assistance and respite, and advise hiring spares of critical pieces of equipment, such as cochlear implants. Villas are often proposed, to give customers a “home-like environment”, and Layzell-Cianfini says private pools are popular with clients. They also advise delaying travel if a child’s condition means an imminent trip will be highly stressful for the family.

The agents do extensive research for customers before travelling, providing detailed local medical information. “They have our number to call at any time, and if there isn’t a rep on site, we arrange an interpreter, or can contact the British Consulate. Everything we do is geared towards giving travellers security that they will be OK, and if it’s not OK that there’s someone they can contact. It’s about taking the stress away for them.”

Layzell-Cianfini now has a host of ideas to help generate interest in the agency’s specialist services.

An anniversary party is planned for clients to meet key suppliers, including specialist Accessible Travel and Leisure. Layzell-Cianfini is also helping to arrange a local network of parents with disabled children who meet regularly for social events.

The agency is developing a dedicated section on its website about its services for disabled travellers, which will include details of its charity work. It donates 1% of net profits to the Lily Foundation, which supports families affected by mitochondrial disease, and children’s charity Pace.

“For every booking, it could be a £10 or £20 donation. It costs £150 a day to have a support nurse, so it doesn’t take many bookings to make a real difference,” Layzell-Cianfini says.