Air Canada said on Tuesday (January 30) that it had become the first airline in North America to adopt the Sunflower of hidden disabilities program to better serve customers with non-visible disabilities.

The program uses a discreet sunflower symbol to identify customers with non-visible disabilities.

Air Canada also announced the first appointments of its new Client Accessibility Advisory Committeea move he says will accelerate a three-year accessibility plan.

LEARN MORE: Air Canada unveils new policies for passengers with disabilities and CEO apologizes

“Air Canada is the first airline in North America to adopt the Tournesol program, which will allow us to better support and serve our customers with non-visible disabilities such as autism,” said Tom Stevens, vice-president, customer experience and operational strategy at Air Canada, in a press release. “Our customers make 1.3 million accessibility requests each year and this initiative once again demonstrates our commitment to improving accessibility, which we are strengthening through the creation of a Customer Accessibility Advisory Committee.

“Made up of customers with disabilities from accessibility groups across Canada, the committee will contribute to increased awareness and help us identify barriers and develop solutions.”

Addition to Toronto Pearson

This is not the first time that the Tournesol project has been used in the Canadian aeronautical space – Toronto-Pearson (YYZ) announced its own Sunflower strip initiative in 2020, providing travelers with a discreet way to communicate if they need additional assistance or more time to complete a task, while traveling through Canada’s largest airport.

The program, which began at Gatwick Airport in 2016 and has since expanded to other airports and public spaces in Europe and elsewhere around the world, recognizes that a person’s disability is not always visible to others.

Invisible disabilities can include autism, arthritis, chronic fatigue, mental health, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, speech disorders, learning disabilities and much more.

Turkish Airlinesimplemented on Sunflower strip project in 2022.

Where to get the strap

By wearing a Sunflower lanyard, Air Canada customers can now let airline staff know that they may need additional assistance, have specific needs or simply need more time during their trip.

Air Canada says it trains and educates all customer-facing employees to recognize and respond appropriately to participating customers.

The lanyard is available at the check-in counters at Hidden handicap sunflower member airports in Canada and on board all flights operated by Air Canada, Air Canada Rouge and Air Canada Express.

Client Accessibility Advisory Committee

Air Canada, for its part, has established an advisory group of customers with disabilities.

The airline says the committee will provide feedback “from the perspective of our customers with disabilities” to help guide the company’s accessibility journey and vision.

The advisory group will initially consist of representatives from four Canadian accessibility groups, including: Donna Jodhan, Barrier Free Canada; Paul Rogers, Brain Injury Canada; Isabelle Ducharme, Kéroul; duck Joanne Smith, Spinal Cord Injury Canada.

Accelerated Accessibility Plan

Last November, Air Canada revealed that it was accelerating its accessibility plan through a series of measures aimed at eliminating obstacles for customers with disabilities.

Update follows statement from Air Canada CEO Michael Rousseauapologizing for the airline’s accessibility shortcomings following several high-profile incidents.

Last year, Air Canada admitted to violating Canada’s disability regulations after a 50-year-old man with cerebral palsy was forced to drag himself off a flight. Las Vegas when he was told no wheelchairs were available.

In November, the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) imposed a fine of $110,000 on Air Canada for various violations of the Regulations respecting transportation accessible to persons with disabilities (ATPDR).

This fine was related to Air Canada’s obligations towards people with disabilities and their service dogs, relating to an incident that occurred in June 2023.

Air Canada reiterated some of the measures it is currently taking on Tuesday.

When boarding, for example, customers at the gate who request elevator assistance will be “systematically boarded first” before all other customers and seated at the front of the cabin they are in. have booked, the airline said.

Air Canada says it is investing in new equipment at Canadian airports, such as elevators, “to ensure we can meet our customers’ expectations.”

Mobility aids, for their part, “will be stored in the aircraft cabin when possible,” specifies the airline.

“When mobility aids are stored in the hold, new systems are put in place to track them during transport, including a process to confirm that mobility aids are correctly loaded before departure,” the company said. Company.

Customers traveling within Canada can now track the journey of their mobility aid using the Air Canada app.

Air Canada says it will also improve staff training and create a new senior position of director, customer accessibility, to help advance the strategy.

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