Accessible Isn’t Optional: Fixing the Gaps in Travel for People with Disabilities
February 22, 2026 Team Contibutor
David Lyons-Black shares how a life-changing medical crisis (PCP pneumonia and encephalitis) left him a full-time wheelchair user, reshaping his career into accessible travel advocacy and planning. In this candid conversation with John Kirk, David explains why “accessible” often isn’t guaranteed, how hotels and tour operators still treat accessible rooms as “on request,” and why that can devastate travelers when reality doesn’t match the promise. He calls for practical fixes—true room guarantees, smarter bed setups, better design informed by disabled travelers, and industry-wide standards—so people can travel with dignity, certainty, and confidence.
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