Alaska Airlines Enhances Accessibility for Travelers and Employees with Disability Practice Flights & Dedicated Office
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Summary
Alaska’s Disability Office, the Autism Society, and port authorities hosted a disability practice flight in Portland, allowing guests with disabilities to practice key aspects of air travel.
The program helps reduce travel stress and improve inclusive customer service for all, particularly individuals with cognitive and developmental disabilities.
This past weekend, Alaska’s Disability Office supported a disability practice flight at Portland International Airport in partnership with the Autism Society and port authorities. Disability practice flights allow individuals with disabilities (IWDs) to practice nearly every aspect of the travel experience – from entering the airport and going through security to taxiing around the tarmac to simulate a flight.
Programs like this help lessen the stress someone may feel when traveling and enable our employees to provide inclusive customer service, products and services to all travelers, including guests with cognitive and developmental disabilities.
Alaska Airlines Disability Office
In December 2022, we launched our Disability Office, a ‘center of excellence’ created as a consistent contact point to address disability matters, inform and consult with workgroups across the company, and ensure we become and remain a leader in disability inclusion.
Since then, Alaska Airlines:
Received more than 150 inquiries and requests
Developed and presented 10 disability-related workshops to different workgroups, with subjects ranging from neurodiversity to autism in the workplace
Filled more than 200 American Sign Language requests with four vendors
Supported accessibility requests for more than 50 events, panels, and social activities
Presented on accessibility and disability inclusion at 7 national conferences and symposiums
Photos by Joe Nicholson, Alaska Airlines
“I have a five-year-old son, and it can be a problem going on planes. This event and the inclusion are wonderful and has helped us prepare.”
– Robert D.
Guest on Alaska Airlines Disability Flight
“This experience really helps us because we have never brought our son on a plane before. Letting him go through the process is very helpful and we would like to try a real flight soon now that he knows what to expect.”
– Sheryl M.
Guest on Alaska Airlines Disability Flight
“For our daughter, giving her the opportunity to practice helps make a real travel experience more manageable and less scary. She gets to see new sounds and sights and go through security and knows what to expect on the day of real travel. Meeting with TSA and speaking to the flight attendants and pilots – hearing the engines go on – it all helps her to feel safer. It’s really wonderful.”
“Now that I know my daughter can handle walking on a jet bridge and sitting on a plane, and now that she sees it isn’t scary and the Alaska Airlines people are so wonderful, I have booked a family flight to Maui in two months!”
Making a Difference for Guests & Employees
The first of its kind in the airline industry, our Disability Office is designed to partner with internal teams to support guests and employees on everything from Disability & Leave, Talent Acquisition, eCommerce and more.
Since opening our Disability Office, Alaska has been able to better support the people who work and fly with us.
Established Accessible Events Guidelines, an Accommodations Statement for events, and created handbooks for Accessible Employment and Accessible Facilities.
Developed and presented 10 disability-related workshops to different workgroups, with subjects ranging from neurodiversity to autism in the workplace
Filled more than 200 American Sign Language requests with four vendors
Supported accessibility requests for more than 50 events, panels, and social activities
Presented on accessibility and disability inclusion at 7 national conferences and symposiums
Travel Enhancements for Wheelchair Users and Additional Practice Flights
In collaboration with our Airport Operations and Customer Service (AOCS) team, we are testing autonomous electric wheelchairs at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in the D and C concourses.
We’re working with our Innovation team to explore possible new technology to support the future of inclusive travel and collaborating with key partners to explore solutions to wheelchair and mobility device damage that could occur during travel.
Later this fall, Alaska will host another practice flight with the San Jose Mineta International Airport and The Arc, an organization that promotes and protects the human rights of people with intellectual and development disabilities. If you’re interested in participating, please reach out to The Arc.
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