Standard Lavatory
Jerez, has not taken a vacation since his accident, but was sure he could still travel in his wheelchair. Her sister convinced her to test and together planned a beach in winter stay in Florida. She was relieved when the Airlines reservations agent told him there was a toilet accessible on the plane, but horrified when actually saw.
Sherry recalls, "My Sister generally contributes to the transfer of me, and in the bathroom on board was simply not enough big for us both. In the end I could not use. I could not believe that the little piece was actually classified as an accessible toilet! "
Sherry is not alone. Many travelers discover the real truth in the air stiff accessible toilets.
Despite the easy access cabinets are mandated under the law on access airlines, the specifications are quite minimal. All twin-aisle airplanes built after 1992 are required to have a bathroom available with a door lock, an accessible call button and grab bars. Space is a premium, so bathroom aboard are much lower than those found in the terminal.
Continental Airlines has some larger than average utility in the 777th. They are 45 inches wide and 35 inches deep, with 23-inch door opening. Not huge but big enough to accommodate a wheelchair on board.
Although that is the best access to the toilets of the twin-aisle airplanes, some companies like Continental and Air Canada have also made efforts for its single-aisle aircraft toilets more accessible. These baths are still the size of the carrier standard, but in most cases, the soil surface may increase by closing the curtains for privacy, which block the corridor outside the bathroom.
Thus, the company has the largest accessible bathroom? Hands down, that honor goes to Singapore Airlines, which offers access to a toilet position in the 56 spacious rooms inches wide by 41 inches deep.
Finally, access varies from one company to another, so check with the airline directly before whipping his portfolio. Another good resource is http://www.seatguru.com a website that contains diagrams of seats for a number of airlines. Although Seat Guru does not address the problems of access, in most cases, can noted in the diagram if the toilet seat is higher than the standard size.
Remember, the word "accessible" has a wide range of interpretations, particularly when it comes to service the aircraft.
Candy Harrington is the editor of Emerging Horizons and the author of Barrier Free Travel: A Nuts and Bolts Guide For Wheelers and Slow Walkers and101 Accessible Vacations. Visit her website at http://www.101AccessibleVacations.com for access news, resources and industry updates.
