Continental Airlines Disability Advisory Board Updates

Hello from Houston!
We have immediate news from the start of this 2-day meeting with Continental Airlines' Disability Advisory Board and their progress over the last six months since our first meeting in October. We're very excited to bring their update to you, as they have indeed taken our advice to heart and brought forth some excellent changes in their day-to-day operations in handling customers with disabilities.

We hope that you will begin to pay attention to the progress and improvements that companies like CO and direct your future business accordingly!

1. Now on Continental.com customers with disabilities can create a personal profile which includes all their special needs so they do not have to enter them for each and every reservation they book

2. Continental has beefed up their disability awareness training through an awareness day and the upcoming changes to the DOT regulations with the addition of 14 CFR part 382, which is an entire subject in and of itself, but is a wonderful new tool and benefit for PWD and their rights when flying.
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/rules/382short.pdf

3. Continental is developing a mobility device plaquard, which we have written about before, that will clearly spell out the simple operation and stowage needs for power wheelchairs and scooters. We'll post that as soon as it's ready!

4. Starting April 1st, lead flight attendants will finally be recognizable by a lead agent ensignia on their name tags so that customers with special needs can address their needs to this agent directly.

5. Starting May 13th, in conjunction with the release of the 382 document, passengers using Emotional Support Animals will be required to give 48 hours notice to the airline in order to prevent the increasing amount of fraud in this area. Note this does not apply to service/working/guide dogs, just psychological assist animals.

6. Also starting May 13th, additional FAA-approved respiration devices will now be accepted. Aside from the currently accepted BAC, ventilators and respirators will be accepted.

7. At many hub airports such as Houston, Cleveland and Newark, TSA has begun to expedite customers with service animals to a ''relieving area'' outside, through security and back, to help PWD meet their connections and therefore book shorter connections. Secure-area (plane side) relief areas are still being studied, but we still hope to help create those someday!

Again we are excited to bring these updates to you from Continental Airlines; please pass them on and stay tuned for more as we continue to progress with this board and its relationships with partners in the air travel industry! Congratulations, Continental!

China Business Opportunities Discovery Trip

Shanghai Spring Tour USA Co is thrilled to offer a unique opportunity to travel to China to find more business opportunities by attending the 6^th China International Textile & Apparel Trade Fair in Shanghai, April 20 to May 1st.

You will visit memorable sites, both ancient and modern and enjoy a multitude of unforgettable experiences. During the trip, we will have two days for you to attend the big textile trade fair where you can meet the Chinese, Japanese and Korean manufacturers to talk about the tour business, beside this one we will arrange another day to visit a Chinese commodities whole sale market – Yiwu where you will visit many vendors of different products in the market and have the business talks with the Chinese businessmen and learn how the Chinese business system works.

This trip is designed to help you find many new business opportunities in China!

Please do not wait too long to decide, space is limited. Price: $1800 plus tax.

The 6^th China International Textile & Apparel Trade Fare on April 22 – April 24:
http://www.apparelchina.org/

Yiwu – a city to find your business opportunity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brs777fdA2A&feature=related

For more information, please contact Jimmy Deng at Spring Tour:

800-627-0886
jim58jim@gmail.com
Website: www.spring-tour.com

Two Online Communities Worth Checking Out

Today's internet is a social networking BOOM. Everywhere you look there's something new to join, add your profile and photos and information to, and begin networking. It's not all as easy as it sounds, it can be time consuming finding just the right one for you and your business or your tastes.

Here's where we come in with our suggestions... we belong to more communities than we can count, and the two very best ones we've found for travelers with disabilities are in the Ning network, a home base for social networking where you can create your very own group for like-minded people like you!

FOR THE TRAVELER
The newest one is called the Accessible.Travel Community, created by one of our peers Craig Grimes, based out of Nicaragua and with extensive experience in travel and adventure travel for people with disabilities in not only South and Central America but in the European Union as well. Craig's dedication to bettering the online information for PWD shows in this community, a hub created for the traveler to share tips on accessible places he or she has been.

Accessible.Travel is for the traveler, the researcher, those thirsting for accessible information at their fingertips. In order for the information to grow, the network must grow, so we are sharing this new community so that it can do so. We hope you pay a visit and join. With already 105 members and growing, this is soon to be a vast resource and a great meeting location for like minded travelers with similar needs who seek travel locations without barriers.


FOR THE TRAVEL PROVIDER
The second social networking online community that we've been members of for over a year now is the TourWatch network of travel providers. This is a network of people and businesses who provide accessible travel to PWD as well as want to learn more about this market and how to better accommodate PWD and reap the rewards for doing so!

TourWatch has been a great place for us to meet and introduce new tour operators and service providers, and a nexus for informative forums, blogs, and communication on all levels of improving and further expanding this growing niche. We're excited to be a part of both now, and hope you take a look at TourWatch if you're a travel provider.

Travel Companions - Know No Bounds

One barrier we see a lot in the travel industry is in the companion corner. We say "Go Anywhere, Do Anything," but what if you need a buddy and don't have anyone to travel with?

Know No Bounds (and here)are the guys to make it happen. Owner Larry Adams paid us a visit today, sharing like ideas, goals, and drive for adventuring with disabilities. From seeing Niagra Falls to ski trips in Colorado, KNB have the mind for adventure and wants to give you the means to do so with five experienced guides who'll fit into your travel routine like glue.

In addition to making your traveling accessible to those who need a buddy (excuse the pun), Adams donates his proceeds to Make A Wish Foundation. His previous projects include the Maritime Challenge and Hole in the Wall Camps.

This is a corner of the market that isn't met, and we're thrilled to meet Larry and share his company with our network. They're just getting started, but already we're happy someone's making this a reality! Drop him a line of encouragement or referral at knownoboundstravel@gmail.com.

STARS Kids Camp in Steamboat

The STARS acronym will come to have two meanings in Steamboat very soon. This coming March, Steamboat's new adaptive program STARS (Steamboat Training Adaptive Recreation Sports), that has begun to replace 30-yr old Steamboat Adaptive starting this year, will be hosting its first kids ski camp for children with disabilities in conjunction with Adaptive Adventures and Access Anything.

This camp is also part of the Stars of Tomorrow Youth Ski Camp series with Adaptive Adventures, although the STARS name didn't come from this. STARS was started by Steamboat local Dave Wickman and its board is excited to get the first event under its belt this spring.

Starting March 21st, this new camp will bring three days of fun, sun, and snow to a dozen kids from across the state and country, and will include several Steamboat local rippers as well.

For more about this coming event, visit Adaptive Adventure's webpage for it.

STARS will also be training instructors and volunteers throughout the year. If you'd like to volunteer for this event, please contact us to put you in touch with the right person!