For so many of us who work in the industry, travel is one of life’s greatest joys, so it is heartbreaking to think that there are significant portions of the population who are consistently faced with major challenges when trying to embark on what should be an enjoyable holiday.
“For most sighted people, planning a trip is straightforward, but for people with low vision or blindness, every stage of the journey can present unnecessary barriers,” said Guide Dogs Australia.
“Inaccessible booking websites and boarding information, and limited on-the-ground support can leave travellers without access to their navigation aids. What should be a simple journey can quickly become exhausting and stressful.”
One blind executive traveller called Margaret, for example, had a mortifying experience when she booked human assistance to take her to the bathroom, but was instead taken to an assistance animal toilet. She does not even have an assistance dog.
In this case, Guide Dogs Australia suggests that in-person disability awareness training would have been helpful, combined with active listening skills training for aviation staff to improve guidance and understanding.
Destination 2030 outlines a course for a more inclusive aviation industry, as Guide Dogs Australia works with the Federal Government, which is reforming both the Disability Discrimination Act and the aviation sector through the Aviation White Paper, which has a focus on inclusion.
The website offers resources to help the aviation industry understand how to make every flight accessible and welcoming even with just a few small adjustments, as well as practical guides to help those with low vision and blindness to understand their rights and how to advocate for themselves.
To read the report from Guide Dogs Australia, click HERE.
The rest of the week
In other news, we sent out a couple breakers this week, including Journey Beyond finally sealing the deal with Voyages. It’s just the latest in Journey Beyond’s remarkable acquisition spree of late – only last week we reported on their purchase of Reef Safaris.
Other breaking news included Helloworld being cleared by the ACCC for a potential acquisition of Webjet, while much-loved industry larrikin Richard Taylor has announced his departure from the Australian Travel Industry Association in Feb next year to embark on a new venture focused on connecting travel professionals and businesses.
Congratulations to him for a great tenure at ATIA.
Meanwhile, Flight Centre Travel Group’s Luxperience has been sold to event director Lynn Ormiston and Jonathan Leggett from Curated Travel Marketing.
And Qantas has hired its first AI Chief, QantasLink chief Rachel Yangoyan.
The news of a major shake-up of management was leaked to mainstream media this week, revealing Andrew Glance has become CEO of Loyalty and Customer, International and Freight boss Cam Wallace will take on in-flight and on-ground services, while domestic head Markus Svensson adds customer care to his remit.
There were reports circulating this week that up to 400 jobs may be lost at Qantas, although CEO Vanessa Hudson strenuously denied it.
Speaking of aviation, Australian Airports Association CEO Simon Westaway pleaded for our local international airports to roll out advanced biometrics, especially as a surge in overseas passengers is predicted for the near future, particularly given the upcoming Brisbane Olympics.
“Australian airports contribute more than $105 billion to the economy each year and support nearly 700,000 jobs. With international passenger numbers forecast to double by 2050, a more modern and productive border is essential to enable this growth,” he said.
Meanwhile, Malaysia Airlines has resumed non-stop flights between Kuala Lumpur and Brisbane as part of its longer-term plan to “become the preferred full-service carrier between Australasia, Asia and beyond”.
Travel Daily Editor Adam Bishop reported from Australia Next in Melbourne this week, where Tourism Australia revealed that its latest campaign starring Rob Irwin has already attracted 374 million views from around the world, with four in five viewers stating they are now considering taking a trip to Australia.
In the world of cruising, Aurora Expeditions is trialling two first-of-their-kind sustainability technologies and has partnered with CounterCurrent to install dual rooftop sensors to deliver real-time weather and ocean current data, all powered by AI to boost efficiency.
The team’s first optimised path was adopted during the line’s Douglas Mawson shakedown voyage last week, using favourable currents to cut fuel consumption.
On that note, I’m heading to the arrival of Princess’ Discovery into Sydney Harbour this morning, marking the 50th anniversary since the original Love Boat arrived in Australian waters – they’re even bringing along Love Boat actor Ted Lange for the celebrations, as well as President for Princess Cruises Gus Antorcha to thank the crew for all their hard work. Keep your eye out on Monday for the low-down on how the festivities went.
Enjoy the weekend.
