This season, I’m fortunate to travel to destinations like Australia, the UAE, and Switzerland to compete, and each trip brings unique challenges and rewards. While preparing to navigate airports, accommodations, and accessibility in different countries, I’ve learned valuable lessons that I want to share, not just for athletes like me but for anyone travelling internationally as a wheelchair user.
Travelling as an athlete with a racing wheelchair requires specific considerations. Racing wheelchairs are large, fragile, and uniquely designed, so ensuring they arrive safely at your destination is a top priority. This starts with notifying the airline well in advance and checking their policies for oversized or specialised equipment. Packaging tools, spare parts, and protective covers are also essential to safeguard the chair during transit. But as any wheelchair user knows, managing personal mobility and ensuring your day-to-day wheelchair arrives intact is just as important, if not more so.