Consultations
Engaging with our stakeholders is vital to delivering better outcomes. We are committed to consulting with customers and employees with disabilities, as well as other members of the community, to identify obstacles and find solutions that meet these specific needs.
Continuous improvement is at the heart of our approach, which we are actively working to broaden to better understand and analyze the needs of people with disabilities.
Consultations with Employees About This Progress Report
While preparing this Progress Report, we reached out to members of our team with disabilities for their thoughts and insights. Their feedback also helped us ensure that the wording of the report is clear and easy to understand.
We talked to people in our Contact Centre and on our Digital Experience team, as they were actively involved in developing the accessibility plan in 2023. We asked both groups whether people who identify as having disabilities were interested in reading the progress report and providing their comments and feedback. We then sent a copy of the report to each person who volunteered to help in the format they requested.
We took most of the feedback into consideration and made the corresponding adjustments. We will also bear the other comments and suggestions received in mind during the next steps of implementing the accessibility plan.
Overall, the general feedback received from the people we reached out to about our ongoing commitment to accessibility is positive.
Feedback on Accessibility at Air Transat
In June 2023, we partnered with AccessNow, a go-to resource for accessibility information, to assess the travel experience of a passenger with reduced mobility on an Air Transat flight. The goal was to identify potential barriers and areas for improvement at various points during the trip. AccessNow’s recommendations were as follows:
- Continue to focus on providing clear, comprehensive information in line with the specific needs of passengers with disabilities before their flight
- Opt for more inclusive, supportive language in the reservation confirmation email (e.g., by emphasizing the type of assistance required rather than the disability)
- Explore other approaches to prioritize integrated transportation and ensure mobility aids are transported safely (e.g., work with airport authorities to improve infrastructure, train staff on how to handle mobility aids carefully and with respect)
- Develop the appropriate digital infrastructure to simplify and improve the process of sharing information with people with disabilities
- Draft clear guidelines on how to store wheelchairs and provide comprehensive training to employees to ensure these guidelines are communicated across the organization, and understood and obeyed by all employees.
The Customer Experience team then used this information to draft an initial accessibility analysis focusing on four key points along the customer journey, namely:
- Planning a trip and finding a flight
- Arriving at the airport and checking in
- Going through security screening
- Boarding an airplane.
A second report will expand upon this information and examine other points during the journey. This will include customer consultations to obtain their feedback. We will then use these findings to put forward a series of suggestions about how to address barriers or challenges that arise.
Latest Progress Made in the Seven Areas Outlined in the Accessible Canada Act
1. Employment
Air Transat has always been dedicated to fostering a workplace where people can grow, thrive and unlock their full potential. The renewal of our corporate identity in 2022 and the formalizing of our diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) commitments reflect this pledge and are guiding us forward toward new horizons.
One of our goals in this regard, which is fundamental to how we do business, is to be better in touch with who we are as an organization. Bearing this in mind, we distributed a confidential self-identification questionnaire to all Air Transat employees between July 4 and August 4, 2023.
The following questions were included to help us gain a better understanding of the experiences and concerns of employees with disabilities:
- Could we make accommodations that would make it easier for you to fully participate in your workplace?
- If so, what are your suggestions?
An initial analysis of the data gathered through this questionnaire gave us a clearer picture of the situation at Air Transat with regard to people with disabilities. In an effort to ensure that these results continue to reflect the current situation, access to the questionnaire will remain open so that employees can edit the information at any time should their circumstances change.
Moreover, in order to promote the use of respectful language and demystify some of the concepts around inclusion and accessibility, a two-hour in-person workshop on DEI and unconscious bias was held for all Air Transat managers in the fall of 2023. An online version of the workshop was also made available to employees across the organization.
Finally, the Talent Acquisition team took a course in inclusive recruitment that helped us evaluate our human resources practices through this lens.
2. Built Environment
We recognize the importance of making sure that all of our facilities can be accessed by people with disabilities. We therefore see to it that all our aircraft and our workplaces meet accessibility standards.
We have implemented a remote work policy to provide employees with as much flexibility as possible so they can find the work arrangement that best suits them. Employees also have access to best practice guides and instructions on how to properly set up their workstations whether they’re based out of the office or at home.
Additionally, we launched an accessibility assessment of the work environment at Air Transat. In the coming year, we will ensure that priorities are established based on the findings of this process and the resulting actions executed in a timely fashion.
3. Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs)
We understand that it is vital to make our telecommunications systems, computer systems and networks, including our website and mobile app, accessible to all users. Our website has a section dedicated to accessibility and special needs that contains all the information our customers may need to plan their trip with Air Transat.
We are also committed to working with the latest technologies and ensuring that these technologies are accessible in order to avoid adding barriers for people with disabilities.
3.1 Accessibility of Check-In Kiosks
In December 2023, we rolled out the new version of the Amadeus Altéa system1 in our check-in kiosks, with new features designed to improve accessibility.
This new version of the departure control system complies with the core aspects that a product or service must provide to be considered accessible by Shared Services Canada. It allows people with visual, hearing or motor disabilities to check in using features that meet their specific needs, including:
- Usage without vision, with limited vision or without perception of colour
- Usage without hearing or with limited hearing
- Usage with no or limited vocal capability
- Usage with limited manipulation or strength.
The use of these check-in kiosks is meant to be as automated as possible. For example, voice instructions begin immediately after a pair of headphones has been plugged in. Audio mode is required by people with a visual impairment, but it is also helpful for users with other barriers to reading such as dyslexia or low literacy, as well as those who are learning a new language.
This new version complies with the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations mandated by the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA) and the national standard CSA/ASC B651.2-07, Accessible design for self-service interactive devices.
These kiosks are owned, operated and administered by the various Canadian airport authorities.
3.2 Accessibility of Our Website and Mobile App
We have set up a multidisciplinary accessibility committee made up of IT system integrators, webmasters and web content writers. The committee meets monthly and is tasked with:
- Applying Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) to any new features added to our website and mobile app
- Quality assurance testing of accessibility issues every time new content is deployed or new pages are created
- Making ongoing corrections using the Siteimprove accessibility tool and measuring their effectiveness
- Training new team members on the principles of accessibility.
These efforts helped drive significant progress during the year. The accessibility rating for airtransat.com rose 5.3 percentage points, from 81.8% in June 2023 to 87.1% in March 2024. In November 2023, it surpassed the industry benchmark set by Siteimprove.
The year also saw us initiate a review of the content of the Accessibility section of our website. The goal is to make it easier to understand by using plain language.
4. Communication Other Than ICTs
Good communication between our staff and our customers is key to providing excellent service. This communication must be taken into account in meeting the specific needs of many different customers. We therefore strive to ensure our employees use clear, respectful and accessible language when interacting with people with disabilities. All customer-facing employees, including baggage and cargo handlers who may be called upon to deal directly with the public, have received extensive accessibility training.
We also ensure that safety features cards are available in large print and Braille. Passenger safety information is available in audio and video format, with the option of being able to adjust the volume and font size as needed.
4.1 Expanded Accessibility Training
During the year, all aircraft cabin crew members took a course in how to respond to requests from passengers with special needs. This gave them the opportunity to refresh their knowledge related to this matter.
We also expanded the pool of employees who are provided with accessibility training to include all airport-based employees, including baggage and cargo handlers who may be called upon to deal directly with the public.
4.2 Activities to Familiarize Children on the Autism Spectrum with Air Travel
In collaboration with Aéroports de Montréal, Giant Steps and Autism Montreal, Air Transat holds an event every year, known as Premium Kids, to help autistic children become better acquainted with the travel process in the most authentic way possible. Every step of the airport experience is run through, starting with the carpark shuttle through to security screening, customs and boarding.
We also took part in the first annual “Ready, Set, Fly… with YYZ” experience in the fall of 2023, which similarly provided an airport familiarization tour for families with neurodivergent needs. This new collaboration with the Greater Toronto Airports Authority and Autism Ontario made it possible to hold an event designed specifically for children on the autism spectrum, based on recommendations from Autism Ontario.
Like Premium Kids in Montreal, Ready Set Fly is an opportunity for our staff to learn more about the unique needs of autistic individuals and be better prepared to provide them with the services and support that can make all the difference.
5. Procurement of Goods, Services and Facilities
We are constantly adjusting our practices to make our services as inclusive as possible for people with disabilities. We take accessibility-related issues into account in all our decisions and operations. We make it a point to factor in accessibility from the outset of our procurement processes to mitigate potential barriers.
5.1 Newly Designed Aircraft Interiors
We have incorporated the principles of accessibility into the procurement processes for the internal layout of our future aircraft. All new airplanes will have to comply with these principles, which will be essential going forward.
6. Design and Delivery of Programs and Services
We make sure that all our services and programs are developed and implemented with accessibility in mind.
6.1 Optimization of On-Board Services
Customer feedback and service shortcomings have prompted us to make changes to our operations and our training program to provide better support to and eliminate barriers for customers with disabilities.
In reviewing and enhancing our training program for front-line employees, we consulted with Kéroul, an organization that specializes in services for people with disabilities.
The updated program will be provided to all 1,800 cabin crew members at Air Transat between September 2024 and August 2025. It will cover as broad a spectrum of disabilities as possible, including various forms of neurodivergence.
In addition, between 2022 and 2024, cabin crew members working on subcontracted flights operated by SmartLynx and Smartwings, two airlines we leased aircraft from on a temporary basis, underwent training. This ensures that the services provided to our customers on theses flights continue to meet our quality standards and our obligations under the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations (ATPDR).
Furthermore, the 540 people who joined our cabin crews in 2023 (representing nearly a quarter of our cabin crew workforce) received training before they started working with the public. Current cabin crew personnel are required to undergo regular online training as part of a three-year training cycle, which actively promotes a warm, personal approach to providing services to customers and delivering pre-flight instructions.
6.2 Improvements to Ground Services
During the year, various steps were taken to improve the accessibility of the ground services we provide in all the airports where we operate. These include:
- Making regular updates to accessibility handbooks for ground services in line with industry standards and customer expectations
- Enhancing the content of accessibility training for ground services staff to promote high-quality service and manage accessibility-related requirements as effectively as possible
- Updating Air Transat’s handling labels for mobility aids to indicate more clearly the types of devices accepted
- Lifting the maximum weight restriction for mobility aids accepted on A330 aircraft to accommodate people travelling with heavier devices.
We strive to review and act quickly and efficiently on comments received from our front-line airport personnel, our Customer Relations Department and our Contact Centre, with the necessary corrective measures or improvements introduced as needed. We also update our website regularly to ensure our customers have access to the latest information on requirements and specifications with regard to mobility aids.
Lastly, our ground services employees are currently hard at work developing a comprehensive database with details on the facilities, tools and devices available at every airport served by Air Transat. This database will be incorporated into our Destination Manual so that personnel who deal directly with customers with special needs have information on accessibility-related services across the Air Transat network available at their fingertips.
7. Transportation
We do not manage ground transportation as part of our regular operations. Nevertheless, we are aware of how important it is to work to eliminate any barriers that customers with disabilities may encounter in the transportation used to access our services.