IN-PERSON London. Section A

Abstract

Introduction. People with disabilities (PwD) experience limiting situations when travelling by air. Air travel accessibility issues hinder their ability to fulfill important aspects of their lives. The few accessibility practices are not enough to provide a humane travel experience: hidden paths and dependence on staff create a sense of marginalization and humiliation. Services are often not inclusive and may not address the full spectrum of needs. As such, the aim of this project is to develop recommendations, for the Canadian government, supporting social inclusion in airports. Methods. A scoping review of accessibility and inclusion practices at international airports was done, along with a website-based analysis of the 35 busiest international airports. Moreover, three case studies, using walking interviews, are underway at Quebec-City, Calgary and Toronto airports. In each, twenty-four participants (n=72) with visible and invisible disabilities complete all the steps required for air travel: entrance, check-in, etc. They comment, in situ, on obstacles, facilitators and potential solutions. Results. The scoping review highlighted services synergy difficulties. Also, PwD need to intensively prepare their travel, well in advance, unlike other passengers. Finally, because accommodations focus on adaptation rather than inclusion, they fail to provide a meaningful experience. Walking interviews’ preliminary results will be presented at the conference. Conclusion. Following this study, collected data will inform sessions to co-design inclusive solutions and recommendations. This project will contribute to improve travel experience for PwD and may allow traveling for people who have been avoiding it due to the complexity and lack of airport accessibility.