With an ageing population and 1 in 6 people categorized as having a disability by the World Health Organization, accessibility is not just an added extra to the customer experience but an essential requirement. And as the population ages, the proportion of people with disabilities will only grow.
Making air travel accessible involves several factors. To start, airport design must improve. This has traditionally been based on “typical” use but that is no longer appropriate for customers with needs that vary dramatically according to their accessibility requirements. With few greenfield sites being established, gateways must therefore be adapted within their existing footprints.
Some simple wins are available to overcome existing barriers, such as check-in desks that can be adjusted in height to accommodate wheelchair users, visuals for deaf people, and braille instructions for the blind. Vertical stacking of items—consider the bags as passengers approach security—would also be easy to implement.
Indeed, the whole security screening process could be easier for those with accessibility issues. Often, passengers with disabilities are separated from family or carers, and their baggage is left unattended or out of view—all of which induces stress. This can easily be solved with readily available technology and a simple reallocation of resources to ensure an accessible security lane is available.
As Emily Yates, Head of Accessibility and Design, Mima Group, highlighted at the World Passenger Symposium (WPS), the overall problem is the increasing complexity of airports as traffic numbers grow, making them difficult to navigate for everyone.
Disabled passengers often book special assistance to solve this complexity when many would prefer independence. “Assistance can’t just be a sticking plaster solution,” said Yates. “We must give all passengers independence when that is wanted and allow airlines and airports to focus resources on those that need further help.”
Technology and people
Technology will be an essential enabler. This is especially true for younger generations of passengers with disabilities, who are keen to use modern technology and expect a better understanding of their needs and excellent customer experience.
It will be crucial, however, that those with disabilities hoping to use modern technology can do so. Some contactless lanes, for example, should be appropriately designed with biometric readers at the requisite level. There are other straightforward solutions, too, such as apps that can provide crucial information and guidance. There are even trials of “robots” that can effectively take a blind person by the hand or push a wheelchair, although whether these provide the experience that airlines want to give is being questioned.
Technology, such as virtual reality, is also important to airport design at its inception. Customers with disabilities can be part of the solution, for example, by taking a virtual tour of proposed designs and highlighting potential challenges before it is too late.
Nevertheless, properly trained, empathetic staff will remain the most useful tool in ensuring passengers with disabilities enjoy a rewarding and empowered travel experience.
Yates noted that though compromises in airport design and technology will have to be made given regulations, limited investment capability, and constrained physical footprints, there is no need to compromise on hiring and training people who care.
“That is entirely in the hands of every entity,” she said. “There is no need to compromise, no regulation with which to comply, and no safety issues. All it takes is the right mindset and the right company culture. A human with the right skillset, appropriate awareness, and education is indispensable to ensuring accessibility.”
Understanding and a proper mindset are especially vital to those with non-visible disabilities. Many do not wish to declare their disability or wear visible symbols such as the sunflower lanyard. But recognizing their concerns and addressing their challenges is equally important.
Harmonizing regulations
Providing a great customer experience for all passengers with disabilities also requires overcoming regulatory hurdles. With different entitlements and restrictions in every country, these passengers can struggle to know what they are entitled to or with which regulations they must comply.
There are also different policies throughout aviation regarding the care provided and assistance booking conditions. Standardization in terminology, policy, and consistency in regulation would go a long way toward ensuring a more dignified service.
The session at WPS concluded that accessibility is not just the right thing to do; it is good business sense. The number of travelers in this category is already high and set to increase. But that doesn’t mean that this service should be seen as transactional. It must focus on the customer experience and an added value rather than a cost to be recovered.
“We must have a customer experience that is great for everybody,” said Yates. “All stakeholders need to get involved, including aircraft OEMs. It is about avoiding unnecessary actions, such as retrofitting an aircraft, and ensuring necessary actions, such as adapting airport solutions. The tools to make this possible are already available.”
Source: Airlines.IATA
