slide 1 Working Together to Improve Air Travel of Passengers with Disabilities 14 C.F.R. Part 382 Summary of New Amendments to ACAAEffective May 13, 2009 Slogan- bottom right corner- "Work Hard.Fly Right."(rights reserved) slide 2 The DOT has amended its Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) rules. This final rule adds new provisions concerning passengers who use respiratory assistive devices, passengers who are deaf or hard-of hearing and further defines the US carriers role in a foreign code-share. Aviation Consumer Protection Division Graphic slide 3 Continental Airlines is committed to providing clean, safe, reliable and accessible transportation to all of our customers. Slide 4 Profile of Air Travelers •30%ofadultswithdisabilitieshavetraveledbyairinthepastyear(or9.4millionairtravelers). •Airtravelerswithdisabilitiestypicallytake1tripeveryyear(or9.4milliontrips)andspend$349perflight. •So,totalexpendituresfortheairlineindustryamongtravelerswithdisabilitiesequal…. •Morethan$6.6billionfor2years •Approximately$3.3billionannually* * Info taken from data collected by Open Doors Organization. slide 5 Various Work Groups Affected •Changes will be necessary for several departments when the new law goes into effect: –Airport Services –In-Flight –Marketing –Facilities –Reservations –Interior Engineering –Aircraft Acquisitions –Vendor Services Photo on bottom right of slide- A Continental Airlines jet lands at George Bush Houston Intercontinental ... slide 6 Applicability •US carriers-applies with respect to all operations and aircraft, regardless of where operations take place. •Foreign carriers-applies only with respect to flights operated that begin or end at US airports and to aircraft used for those flights. *wheelchair accessible Logo located at right of bulleted list slide 7 Foreign Code-Share •US carriersparticipating in code- sharing with respect to operations between two foreign points are responsiblefor ensuring compliance with service provisions of Part 382. Various airline logos located in left hand column form- Delta airlines, Air France, Air Mexico Continental Airlines slide 8 Foreign Code Share Airline logs at top portion of slide: Emirates Hawaiian Airlines Hawaiian Airlines Alaska Airlines / Horizon Air Virgin Atlantic •Requests for Waiver allowed– –If a foreign law precludes foreign carrier from complying with Part 382. –Foreign carrier must provide an “effective alternative means” or demonstrate such is not possible. Slide 9 Advance Notification •Advance Notice-US Carriers mayrequire it for certain accommodations (in addition to the items currently allowed): –Transport of an emotional support or psychiatric service animal in cabin. –Transport of service animal on flight segments 8 hours or longer. –Customers that desire to utilize a ventilator, respirator, continuous positive airway pressure machine (CPAP), or a personal oxygen concentrator (POC). *Photo of a woman talking on her cell phone on left hand side of slide Slide 10 Notice to Customers •Must keep a current copy of Part 382 at each airport served. •Must make copy available to public on request. •No stipulation on printed/electronic. Photo: A Continental Airlines employee helps customers get checked in before a flight Slide 11 Notice to Customers *Photo of a Man in a wheelchair at a computer with his headset on We must provide notice on our website that customers can obtain a copy of Part 382 in an accessible format from DOT: •By calling the DOT disabilities hotline •By calling the Aviation Consumer Protection Division •By mail to the Air Consumers Protection Division •On the Aviation Consumer Protection Division website Slide 12 Airport Accessibility Photo of a man with his guide dog outdoors on left hand side of slide •At all US airport terminals we own, lease or control, we must provide animal relief areasfor service animals. •This requirement is applicable to all of U.S. airports. Slide 13 Airport Accessibility •Enable closed-captioning on all TVs capable of displaying captions in all public areas. Photo bottom left hand corner- an anchor woman during a CNN news broadcast •Replace any TVs used for safety briefings, information or entertainment in the terminal with equipment that has high-contrast captioning in the normal course of operations and/or whenever terminal modifications are being done. Slide 14 Airport Accessibility Photo: left side of slide- multiple hands signing •Provide “prompt access” to information to customers who identify themselves as needing visual or hearing assistance at each gate, ticket counter and customer service center, to the extent that this does not interfere with employee’s safety and security duties. Slide 15 Aircraft Accessibility •Moveable armrests on at least half of aisle seats proportionately in all classes of services, including first class and business class. •No retrofitting of aircraft required. Photo- right hand side of slide- two airline attendants fastening and securing a woman into her seat aboard an aircraft. Slide 16 Aircraft Accessibility (Photo of small, think wheelchair, left hand side) •More than 60 seats -must have an on-board wheelchair. •Wide-body aircraft must have at least 1 accessible lavatory. Slide 17 Aircraft Accessibility •All new videos, DVDs (Photo of person using in flight tv on board aircraft) and other displays used for SAFETY, and all new videos played on AC for informationalpurposesthat were created under our control, must have high-contrast captioning. •Effective date –10 NOV 2009. •Between 13 MAY 2009 and 10 NOV 2009, all videos, DVDs and other AV displays on aircraft for safety purposes have open captioning or an inset for a sign language interpreter, unless such captioning would interfere with the video presentation so as to render it ineffective. •At this time, there is no requirement for close-captioning of entertainment. Slide 18 (photo of a single hand signing at top left) Aircraft Accessibility •Ensure customers needing hearing assistance have prompt access to information provided to other customers, without interfering with crew safety duties. Slide 19 Aircraft Accessibility (photo of man in wheelchair outside in snowy airport area) •Ensure there is priority space to accommodate 1 typical adult-sized folding, collapsible manual wheelchair. Dimensions must be at least 13 inches by 36 inches by 42 inches without having to remove the wheels or disassembling the chair. •This law applies to any aircraft with 100 or more seats. •Seat-strappingmethod will no longer be allowed on aircraft ordered after May 13, 2009 or which are delivered after May 13, 2011. Any such aircraft must have the designated priority stowage space as required. Slide 20 Boarding/Deplaning/Connecting •Provide assistance to customers from curbside to curbside. •This requirement includes brief stops at the customers request at entrances to restrooms. •Assist customers with service animals by providing an escort to the animal relief area. Photo: Virginia Dulles Airport Disabled Passenger Wheelchair and Muslim Worker viewing Departures/Arrivals TV Monitors) Slide 21 Boarding/Deplaning/Connecting •Provide assistance to customers who give “credible verbal assurance” they cannot carry their own luggage because of a disability. •Offer pre-boarding to customers who self-identify as having a disability and need additional time or assistance in boarding. bottom slide Photo: Shadow of woman pushing man in wheelchair Slide 22 Boarding/Deplaning/Connecting •Offer boarding/deplaning assistance through the use of lifts or ramps on all AC with 19 seats or more. The Beech 1900 and Embraer EMB-120 are exempt. Bottom right photo: Stairs on wheels used to load/unload luggage into plane at airfield Slide 23 Service Animals (photo of Golden Retriever on leash aboard plane) –On flights 8 hours or more, documentation required that the animal will not relieve itself on the flight or will do it in a way that will not create a health or sanitation issue. –For customers traveling with an emotional support or psychiatric service animal, 48 hours advance notification required. •Documentation required --must be current and on letterhead from a licensed mental health professional. –Foreign carriers are not required to carry service animals other than dogs on flights to/from the U.S. Slide 24 Oxygen,Respiration Devices •Permit any individual with a disability to use a ventilator, respirator, CPAP machine or an FAA approved Personal Oxygen Concentrator. •Devices must meet FAA requirements and display a manufacturer’s label indicating that the device meets FAA requirements. •The device must be able to be stowed consistent with applicable TSA, FAA and PHMSA regulations. (Photo: Woman Wearing Nasal Cannula for Supplemental Oxygen) Slide 25 •Ensure training proficiency: (Photo of man teaching adults at computers in classroom) –The requirements of DOT part 382, and other regulations affecting air travel for customers with disabilities –Our procedures concerning the travel of customers with a disability. –The proper use of boarding and deplaning equipment and the appropriate boarding and deplaning assistance procedures that safeguard the safety and dignity of customers. Slide 26 Training •Consult with organizations representing persons with disabilities in our home country when developing training programs, policies and procedures. (Logos:SATH Logo, World Congress on Disabilities Logo, TIRR Memorial Hermann Logo) Slide 27 Working Together •We can make the travels of our customers with disabilities as easy as possible. •We can reduce potential DOT fines by complying 100% to the new laws and continuing our compliance of the current laws. Logo: Continental Airlines, skyteam, all rights reserved. •By working together, and ensuring all of our employees are well versed in the laws, we can all lend a hand in funding our future. End of slide show- Thank-you!