Training to Improve Access to Air Travel for Persons with Disabilities

Training is a key part of the AODA.  In the following case, training helps remove barriers for air travel for persons with disability. 
The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) released a series of new disability-related training materials for airlines and passengers with disabilities on the four areas where the Department receives the greatest number of air travel disability complaints.  DOT worked closely with disability-rights organizations, airlines, and airports to ensure that any material that is developed is of optimal use.
“We must ensure that Americans of all ages and abilities can access our nation’s transportation system,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Foxx.  “Today’s actions recognize the critical importance of training in providing accessible transportation and reinforce our commitment to full implementation of the Air Carrier Access Act.”
The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) prohibits airlines from discriminating against individuals with disabilities.  Under DOT rules, airlines are required to train to proficiency all airline personnel and contractors who interact with the traveling public.
The new DOT training materials target the four areas for which the Department receives the greatest number of complaints – (1) wheelchair and guide assistance; (2) stowage, loss, delay, and damage of wheelchairs and other mobility assistive devices; (3) aircraft seating accommodations; and (4) travel with service animals.  They are intended to be an additional resource that airlines can use to supplement the disability-related trainings that they are required to provide their employees and contractors under DOT rules.  The new training materials also include companion pieces to provide passengers with disabilities information about their rights under the ACAA and the Department’s rules.
The content available today includes two videos, downloadable brochures that can be printed or viewed on a mobile device, and a foldable accordion wheelchair/guided assistance tip sheet that airline personnel can carry and reference while assisting passengers with disabilities.  These resources are available on DOT’s website at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/disability-training/.
In the near future, the Department will also be posting on its website two interactive guides designed to supplement airline personnel and contractor trainings.
DOT is committed to using all the tools available to it, including enforcement action, to ensure that airlines understand and comply with their obligation to ensure that their personnel and contractors are trained.  Today, DOT is also issuing an order against American Airlines (American) for failing to properly train its reservation and gate agents regarding the proper handling of service animal requests.

What barriers is your organization removing to help people with disabilities?

If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-579-1035 orsandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca

Bristol Airport Opens Changing Places Facility as Part of Focus on Accessibility

On an international perspective, many barriers are being removed for people with disabilities. 

A new Changing Places facility was recently opened in the landside area of the main terminal at Bristol Airport by Andy Wright, Managing Director of Accessible Travel, specialists in providing holidays for passengers with disabilities.

Standard accessible toilets are unable to meet the needs of all travelling customers with a disability, the Changing Places facility provides additional features, including more space to make it easier for carers to assist, a height adjustable adult-sized changing bench, and a tracking hoist system.

Customers wishing to use the Changing Places facility can contact the staff at the OCS Special Assistance desk for access.  The OCS desk is situated immediately opposite the newly designed facility in the landside Arrivals area of the main terminal.

“Bristol Airport is delighted to open the Changing Places facility.  We want to make the Airport accessible to all and we hope this new area will encourage less mobile passengers and their carers to travel more. ” said Phil Holder, Bristol Airport.

“I am delighted to be asked to officially open the recently installed “Changing Places” toilet at Bristol Airport, which provides people like myself with a far safer and more comfortable environment to prepare before departing or arriving from a flight, said Andy Wright, Managing Director, Accessible Travel.

“With the introduction of this more dignified and highly valued facility, Bristol Airport continues to demonstrate its commitment to supporting those passengers who require some additional assistance when travelling.”

In the third quarter of 2016, Bristol Airport was ranked number one in the UK by the customer satisfaction benchmarking programme, Airport Service Quality (ASQ), and has been the UK’s most punctual airport for the past two years according to league tables measuring on-time performance published by data specialist OAG.

What barriers is your organization removing to help people with disabilities?

If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-579-1035 or sandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca

Proposed Ontario Changes to Accessibility Regulations

The Ministry of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure has proposed changes to the Customer Service Standard and Integrated Accessibility Standards regulations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If approved, the changes will be enacted on July 1, 2016, and take immediate effect.

This proposal includes incorporating the Customer Service Standard into the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation and making changes to requirements of the Customer Service Standard.

Proposed customer service standard changes include:

The ministry would like the public and interested stakeholders to provide comments on the proposed changes by December 31, 2015.

It may sound like a lot of substantial changes, but I expect if they are enacted, they will make it easier for organizations to manage their accessibility obligations under the AODA standards. However, there will likely be another confusing transition period as we figure out who has to do what and by when.

To help manage the changes, the government has set a seemingly reasonable implementation date of July 1, 2016, and proposed transition periods, where appropriate. This date falls between the upcoming accessible employment standards and communications deadlines on January 1, 2016, and the following 2017 deadlines.

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·       How does this change your organization’s implementation of the AODA? 

If you are interested in learning more about Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) or how to make accessibility a natural part of your business through the application of Corporate Social Responsibility, please contact Sandra Broekhof @ 416-579-1035 orsandra_broekhof@sympatico.ca