Air Canada announced a series of measures aimed at reduce barriers and to make thetravel experience simpler, more comfortable and consistently reliable for disabled passengers.
These measures will accelerate the implementation of Air Canada’s 2023-2026 Accessibility Plan, adopted last June. They aim to reduce or eliminate the main sources of dissatisfaction and travel disruption for customers with disabilities.
Boarding : Customers at the boarding gate who request assistance with the transfer will always be the first to board and will be seated at the front of the reserved cabin. Air Canada is investing significantly in new equipment at Canadian airports, such as patient lifts, to ensure it can meet the expectations of its customers.
Mobility aid storage : Mobility aids will be stored in the cabin of the aircraft, when possible. New systems are being implemented to monitor the transportation of mobility aids placed in the hold, including a process to confirm that they are properly loaded on board the aircraft before departure. Customers traveling within Canada will be able to track the journey of their mobility aid using the Air Canada mobile app. In addition, the Canadian airline is adopting new processes for loading mobility aids into the hold of its aircraft to ensure that its customers’ mobility aids arrive safely.
Training : Enhanced training will be provided to enhance all aspects of employees’ interactions with customers with disabilities, including their understanding of the customer’s air travel experience. The approximately 10,000 Air Canada employees working at airports will receive this training as part of a new annual revalidation program. The training will focus on intangible skills and equipment, including on-board transfer techniques. Customers with disabilities will be invited to present to employees during workshops and provide advice to further improve processes.
Responsibility : Air Canada has created the new senior executive position of Director, Customer Accessibility. The current position leads a team responsible for managing the implementation of the Canadian airline’s accessibility plan and providing common resources and reference points for effective management of disability issues.
Well. @AirCanada left my chair in Toronto. I’m now without my essential equipment. Independence taken away. I’m furious. Unacceptable. #RightsOnFlights pic.twitter.com/h1WPUwlgxw
— Stephanie Cadieux (@Stephanie4BC) October 21, 2023
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