Air Canada is adopting a new measure to better serve travelers with non-visible disabilities, as the carrier seeks to improve accessibility after reports of mistreatment.
The Montreal-based airline announced Tuesday its membership in the “Sunflower for Invisible Disabilities” program, which allows customers to wear a discreet sunflower symbol. It indicates to staff that these passengers may require additional assistance or special needs.
Air Canada mentioned having become the first North American airline to join this program.
This decision is part of Air Canada’s three-year accessibility plan. It also follows numerous cases of passenger mistreatment reported last year, including an incident in which a man with spastic cerebral palsy was forced to drag himself off a plane due to a lack of help.
In November, CEO Michael Rousseau apologized for the carrier’s accessibility shortcomings. He also announced that he would accelerate the company’s accessibility plan as well as new measures aimed at improving the travel experience for hundreds of thousands of passengers living with disabilities.
The airline explained in a press release on Tuesday that the “Sunflower” lanyard will be available at check-in counters at several airports across the country and on board all Air Canada flights.
The carrier says it will train and educate its employees so they can recognize and respond appropriately to participating customers, whose disabilities can range from autism to hearing loss to Alzheimer’s disease.
“Every year we receive 1.3 million accessibility requests from customers. This initiative once again demonstrates our commitment to improving accessibility,” said Tom Stevens, Vice-President of Customer Experience and Operations Strategy at Air Canada, in a press release.
The Tournesol program launched at London Gatwick Airport in 2016, and has since expanded to more than 230 airports and 15 airlines around the world. Carriers include British Airways, Air France-KLM and Ryanair, but none were based in North America until now.
“Air Canada and the Tournesol program are committed together to ensuring that those who wear the lanyard are recognized and receive the additional support, empathy and kindness they need during a flight,” said Paul White, Head of the Lanyard. management of Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Scheme Limited, a private UK company which manages the global scheme.