Mexico may seem like one giant obstacle course to travelers in wheelchairs or on crutches. At airports, you may encounter steep stairs before finding a well-hidden elevator or escalator -- if one exists. Airlines will often arrange wheelchair assistance to the baggage area. Porters are generally available to help with luggage at airports and large bus stations, once you've cleared baggage claim.
Mexican airports are upgrading their services, but it is not uncommon to board from a remote position, meaning you either descend stairs to a bus that ferries you to the plane, which you board by climbing stairs, or you walk across the tarmac to your plane and ascend the stairs. Deplaning presents the same problem in reverse.
Escalators (and there aren't many in the country) are often out of order. Stairs without handrails abound. Few restrooms are equipped for travelers with disabilities; when one is available, access to it may be through a narrow passage that won't accommodate a wheelchair or a person on crutches. Many deluxe hotels (the most expensive) now have rooms with bathrooms for people with disabilities. Those traveling on a budget should stick with one-story hotels or hotels with elevators. Even so, there will probably still be obstacles somewhere. Generally speaking, no matter where you are, someone will lend a hand, although you may have to ask for it.
Most disabilities shouldn't stop anyone from traveling. There are more options and resources out there than ever before.
Organizations that offer assistance to disabled travelers include MossRehab (tel. 1-800/CALLMOSS or 215/456-9900; www.mossresourcenet.org), which provides a library of accessible-travel resources online; the American Foundation for the Blind (AFB; tel. 800/232-5463; www.afb.org), a referral resource for the blind or visually impaired that includes information on traveling with Seeing Eye dogs; and SATH (Society for Accessible Travel & Hospitality; tel. 800/513-1126; www.sath.org; annual membership fees $49 adults, $29 seniors and students), which offers a wealth of travel resources for all types of disabilities and informed recommendations on destinations, access guides, travel agents, tour operators, vehicle rentals, and companion services. AirAmbulanceCard.com is now partnered with SATH and allows you to preselect top-notch hospitals, in case of an emergency, for $195 a year ($295 per family), among other benefits.
For more information, check out the quarterly magazine Emerging Horizons (www.emerginghorizons.com; $17 per year, $22 outside the U.S.); and Open World magazine, published by SATH (subscription $13 per year, $21 outside the U.S.).
