Equality and Human Rights Commission

Accessible Travel Made Easy is a free online training course aimed at travel agents, tour operators and other front-line travel industry staff.

This interactive course provides an overview of the importance of accessible travel and why it makes good business sense to meet the diverse needs of customers.

The first module was launched at ABTA’s first Travel Matters conference, attended by high level stakeholders from Government, media and the travel industry.

The second advanced module ‘Inclusive travel – making business sense’ was launched recently, and
aims to help those working in the travel industry to understand good business practice in relation to accessibility. It shows them how to:

• communicate this effectively with colleagues and customers
• understand customers’ expectations and needs
• tackle barriers that restrict choice and autonomy for disabled people and for those whose mobility is temporarily impaired
• improve and change business practice as appropriate, so that the best service is offered to all.

Both modules will form part of ABTA’s accredited professional training scheme and many major players in the travel industry have already expressed interest in signing staff up.

This project links in with the Commission’s work on Air Travel Accessibility. Under European law (EC1107), disabled passengers and those with limited mobility, have a right to assistance when they fly to, from and within Europe.

The EC1107 regulation applies to tour operators and travel agents as well as to airports and airlines. It covers the whole of the air travel process including booking flights, arriving at the airport, checking in, getting on and off the plane and leaving the airport. 

Tour operators and travel agents are expected to pass on the needs of disabled passengers to the airlines and they in turn must inform the airports of the individual services required. However, experience to date has shown that customers do not always pre-notify their assistance needs and when they do, sometimes the information is not passed on correctly to airlines and airports.

We hope these courses will encourage greater awareness amongst the travel industry of the needs of disabled customers or those with mobility issues to ensure they receive the right assistance when they go on holiday and also demonstrate why it makes good business sense to do so.

You can sign up for free to view the course at: www.accessibletravelmadeeasy.com.

You can also find out more about the Commission’s work on Air Travel Accessibility.