DESTINATIONS ACCESSIBLE TRAVEL | SPECIAL ASSISTANCE
RIGHT: An image from Travelport’s
Travel Unified Campaign
FAR RIGHT: Special-
assistance desk at Gatwick PICTURE:
Justin Lambert
at baggage reclaim. Motorised wheelchairs almost always need to be checked in, with any batteries signed off as safe before boarding. Despite concessions such as special-assistance lanes through security – designed to speed up the process while allowing those who need extra time to have it without feeling under pressure – there is plenty of room for error. This is particularly the case
fast fact
Nearly half a million British Airways passengers need
assistance each year, a number expected to grow by 8% next year
when travel agent, tour operator, passenger, airline and airport are all involved in the process. Taking responsibility, rather than assuming someone else will, and asking the right questions at the outset should help ensure everything runs smoothly. Tom Bartlett, commercial
operations manager at Gatwick, advises passengers requiring special assistance to allow a little extra time so they don’t feel stressed on arrival. “They should also clearly describe
their requirements when booking their ticket or assistance,” he adds. “For example, can they do stairs? Or walk long distances? Do they have a hidden disability? Do they feel anxious in busy places? Any detail will really help our service provider deliver an excellent service and have the correct equipment in advance.”
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CODE BREAKING For agents, a lot of this can be done via SSR (special service request) codes that can be added at the time of booking or, if need be, afterwards. There are several relevant codes for those who will require wheelchair assistance at the airport. WHCR is for passengers who need assistance, but can walk a short distance and manage stairs. WHCS is for those who can’t manage stairs, WHCH for those who need help all the way to the aircraft seat and WCMP for passengers with a manual wheelchair. There are also codes for specific conditions, such as BLND for blind and partially sighted and DEAF for deaf and hard of hearing. Lesser-
known is DPNA, for passengers with developmental or intellectual difficulties – autism, for example – who might require a bit of extra guidance or quiet seating arrangements in the airport. Travelport has been striving to raise awareness among agents of this code, which needs to be accompanied by additional descriptive free text, so the level of support required is understood. Individual airports are also developing schemes to help passengers with invisible disabilities. The assistance desk at Manchester airport, for example, offers special sunflower-patterned lanyards. Staff are trained to look out for these lanyards, whose wearers might need a bit more help and understanding. Heathrow operates a similar sunflower lanyard scheme, which is detailed on its website. For agents, understanding the SSR codes helps with asking clients the right questions. But if more detail is required, Abta has a downloadable checklist, covering aspects such as wheelchair dimensions, medication that needs to be taken on board and assistance dogs. Peace of mind is important too. Checking with the airline 48 hours before departure that the required information is on the booking, or advising the customer to do so, can calm jitters. Getting that bit of extra help might seem a little complicated, but it doesn’t take much to remove stress from the customer’s travel experience. TW
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12 DECEMBER 2019
travelweekly.co.uk
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