Traveling with Hearing Loss

Whether for business or pleasure, traveling can be as stressful as it is enjoyable, and even more so if you have hearing loss. Common problems for travelers with hearing loss:

• Inability to hear or understand airline boarding and in-flight announcements

• Difficulty making reservations

• Inability to hear hotel room telephones, someone knocking on the door, or warning signals such as smoke alarms

• Difficulty using public telephones, hotel phones, cell phones, etc.

• Inability to hear or understand scheduled events such as planned activities, tours, museum lectures, and live performances

• Lack of oral and/or sign language interpreters

• Lack of accommodations for hearing dogs Tips to make travel easier with hearing loss:

Try to make all travel arrangements in advance. Once transportation arrangements have been made, request written confirmation to ensure that information is correct. Always inform the ticket representative that you are hearing-impaired.

If possible, meet with a travel agent to allow the opportunity for lip reading, or if necessary, written exchange to help confirm travel plans. Agents can contact airlines, hotels, and attractions to make necessary reservations.

Travel information and reservation services are also available on the internet. Be sure to print copies of important information such as confirmation numbers, reservations, and maps. Keep copies of travel arrangements, including confirmation numbers, easily available.

Arrive early at the airport, bus terminal, or train station. Tell the agent at the boarding gate that you are hearing-impaired and need to be notified in person when it’s time to board.

Inform the security officer or TSA know that you are hearing impaired. In most cases, hearing aids worn on the ears will not set off of the alarms during security screening at airports. Keeping the hearing aids on will allow you to communicate with the security officers during screening, if necessary. It is ok to ask a security officer if it would be advisable to take your hearing aids off; however, body worn hearing aids and personal listening devices may contain enough metal parts that they should be packed in your carry-on bag. The security scanner will not harm your hearing aids or other related devices.

Check the display board repeatedly while waiting in the terminal to confirm your flight destination and departure time as there may be delays, or the departure gate may change. Confirm the flight number and destination before boarding.

Inform the flight attendant that you are hearing-impaired and request that any inflight announcements be communicated to you in person. Consider reserving aisle seats so that you may easily communicate with the flight staff.

Do not be afraid to ask for help from fellow travelers—most are more than willing to offer assistance. Tips for handling hearing aids when traveling:

If you wear a hearing aid, be sure to pack extra batteries and tubing. These may be difficult to obtain in some places.

Strongly consider taking a dehumidifier for drying your hearing aids each night to prevent moisture problems, especially if your destination has a warm, humid climate.

To prevent loss, avoid storing your hearing aid equipment in checked luggage. Keep an extra set of batteries in a separate piece of luggage to prevent total loss of hearing aid use. Lodging:

• Carry printed copies of lodging reservations, dates, and prices.

• Inform the receptionist at the front desk that you are hearing-impaired. This is very important in case of an emergency.

• Certain major hotel chains now provide visual alerting devices to help the hearing-impaired traveler recognize the ring of the telephone, a knock on the door, or a fire/emergency alarm. Contact the hotel in advance to make the necessary arrangements.

There are many things that you can do to help you travel safe. Don’t avoid traveling because of hearing loss. Planning ahead and informing your fellow travelers, transportation hosts, and hotel clerks that you are hearingimpaired are a few suggestions to help your trip run smoothly. If you are traveling soon and would like to hear better, consider the free hearing consultation available at Better Hearing and Balance Connection. Call 479657-6464 to make your appointment today or visit www.betterhearingandbalance.net for more information.