The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recently announced it has entered into agreements with Alaska Airlines/Virgin America and Spirit Airlines to expand the availability of airport kiosks accessible to individuals with disabilities.
DOT also announced an agreement with All Nippon Airways, the largest airline in Japan, to make the airline’s mobile website accessible for individuals with disabilities.
Under the agreement, Spirit Airlines said it would make at least 50 percent of its kiosks at U.S. airports accessible by Dec. 31, 2017. Additionally, Alaska Airlines/Virgin America agreed to ensure that at least 50 percent of its kiosks at U.S. airports were accessible to passengers with disabilities by Dec. 31, 2019.
DOT’s agreement with All Nippon Airways specifies that the airline’s mobile site must conform to the World Wide Web Consortium’s Mobile Web Best Practices and that it must consult with individuals with disabilities regarding the mobile site’s accessibility no later than November 2018.
Current DOT regulations state that airlines must ensure that automated kiosks installed after Dec. 12, 2016, at U.S. airports with annual enplanements of more than 10,000 passengers are accessible models, until at least 25 percent of the airports’ kiosks in each location are disability accessible.
The regulation further states that 25 percent of kiosks must be accessible versions by Dec. 12, 2023.
“The Department is committed to making transportation more accessible for everyone,” DOT Secretary Elaine L. Chao said. “These agreements will ensure greater accessibility and improve the flying experience for individuals with disabilities.”
The agreements were made after each airline self-reported their temporary inability to comply with the accessibility rules and offered to instead adopt measures that provided greater accessibility to individuals with disabilities than required under DOT rules.