International Day of Persons with Disabilities

Roughly 1.3 billion people—about one in six—live with a significant disability[1]. December 3^rd is the International Day for Persons with Disabilities and is a moment to renew our collective commitment to creating an inclusive, equitable, and barrier-free society for all people.

Air travel is also a place where barriers occur for persons with disabilities, adding to an already high-pressure environment that is stressful for many. From booking a flight to getting to the airport, and from navigating your way through the terminal to finally settling in your airline seat, imagine doing so using a wheelchair, or with low vision or hearing loss.

At InterVISTAS, we commit to work that is socially responsible, and are proud to contribute to a more accessible, inclusive, and barrier-free air travel system. Our support spans the globe and all facets of the aviation industry – from passengers and employees with disabilities alike. From helicopter operators and airlines, to small airports and global hubs, InterVISTAS’ accessibility practice is committed to the vision of a barrier-free experience for persons with disabilities.

We have collaborated with airports in Canada, the US, and in Australia to help them identify improvements and formulate action plans for measurable change. We have helped several airports, and one helicopter airline formulate a strategic plan that will guide their commitments to a more accessible service offering. We are keen to help bridge the gap of sharing information and experiences of people with lived experiences between airport management and disability representative organizations, by facilitating meetings or conversations. These consultations and several other initiatives have led us to develop an airport-specific accessibility-focused quality management system that we are slated to roll out at several airports in the new year – to continue our impact globally in reducing barriers.

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[1] https://www.who.int/health-topics/disability