Overview

To support the facilitaion of travel for the men’s and women’s paralympic teams at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Asia World Cup, and British Rowing – CTM Sport accommodated:

• Aisle seating for 32 athletes with day chairs and excess luggage bookings for sport chairs
• Extra boarding time on connections and enough aisle space to accommodate all athletes for 3 Asia World Cup teams
• Accessible private taxis with adequate boot space for multiple British rowers with wheelchairs travelling for domestic and international competition travel.

Solutions

CTM Sport Travel Consultants were conscious to retrieve full specifications from travellers with disabilities and/or impairments, including what would be needed on-board/within accommodation and ground transport in advance of booking.

Airlines that could accommodate aisle chairs were selected for athletes travelling to the Commonwealth Games and Asia World Cup, with attention paid to ensuring enough aisle spaces would be available for the number of athletes travelling. When athletes required to travel with a sports chair, wheel bags, and/or medical kit as well as a day chair, airlines were advised in advance and uplifted free of charge. Our Travel Consultants also bypassed the need to fill out a passenger medical clearance (MEDA) form wherever possible, provided maps of hotel layouts in advance, checked the width of doorways and other accessibility features, and positioned those who may be partially sighted or have hearing impairments appropriately within properties and during transportation.

Our Travel Consultants closely monitored flight times and any potential delays, organising airside buggy transits as appropriate to mitigate risk. We worked with airlines to ensure each team and athlete had plenty of time for boarding, avoiding delays/missed connecting flights, as well as ground transportation providers to ensure plenty of storage space and lift facilities as needed.

Results

CTM sport were successfully able to facilitate travel for:

• 32 athletes in chairs completed seamless return journeys for competition travel
• 1800 kg of wheelchairs and wheel bags waived as excess baggage for Asia World Cup athletes
• 3 teams with disabilities uplifted on flights free of charge.