In Travel News for December 1st, 2022 we talk disabled travel in Georgia, more Rail Strikes in the European Union, and how SouthWest is looking to improve travel for families.
Georgia Becomes more Accessible
The state of George in the United States has taken a major step in improving the accessibility of state parks and historical sites. The state has partnered with the Aimee Copland Foundation to provide free, high mobility all-terrain travel wheelchairs to those with disabilities. There are currently 10 locations that will offer the all-terrain wheelchair. Visitors wishing to use one of the chairs will need make a reservation through All-Terrain Georgia and be certified. Certification is a relatively easy process and takes about 7 days. Reservations must be made 72 hours in advance. To learn more about the Aimee Copeland Foundation and their founders inspiring story visit the link below.
Rail Strikes Coming to the U.K and E.U.
Travel on Eurostar, the High-Speed Rail service connecting 33 countries and many popular destinations within Europe is going to be more difficult this holiday season. Security staff at Eurostar has voted to Strike. The strike dates are December 16th, 18th, 22nd, and 23rd. According to the union the strike will severely affect Eurostar service during the Christmas holiday season. Negotiations are still going so there is a chance that a strike could be averted. Disruptions such as these tend to affect more then just rail. Expect an increase in Air Travel demand over the holidays within Europe and the United Kingdom which would lead to higher prices and longer wait times.
SouthWest to be More Family Friendly
SouthWest Airlines is looking at ways to make family travel a little better. The airline is getting ready to run a trial program where they will allow families to board early. The week long trial will run in the middle of December at four gates in Atlanta. During the trial families traveling together will be offered the ability to board the plane before individuals in the A-list boarding group. Families taking advantage of this will be required to sit behind row 15. In addition to helping families stay together, one of the goals of this trial is to improve the airplanes turnaround time. That’s the time it takes an airplane to return to the air after landing. Improving turnaround time will increase efficiencies and reduce costs.