Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport involves much more than wheelchair access. Last Thursday, the city council’s mobility committee was briefed on how traveling to and from Austin is accessible to all – or sometimes not.

The city’s Department of Aviation is ADA compliant, ABIA Director Jacqueline Yaft explains to the Committee. Full compliance extends from things like pet protection zones for service animals to braille signage to ensure people of all abilities experience a smooth sailing from entering the airport to departure.

While the airport and the city’s Department of Aviation are responsible for airport compliance, individual airlines are responsible for complying with some requirements of the Air Carrier Access Act, federal law that ensures fair treatment of all passengers. These include, for example, wheelchair services for passengers who need them, for which airlines often partner with third-party companies. The airport also outsources certain services, such as tram services, to third parties, quickly expanding the network of companies that must comply with federal regulations. The Aviation Department’s designated ADA coordinator works with the city, airport and airlines to ensure the entire process is streamlined and compliant.

These state regulations are designed to protect a wide variety of travelers, from those who may not be able to walk or see or hear alone, to those with intellectual disabilities or those in need of animals for emotional support. The list of services required to make travel accessible to all is long and needs to be well explained so travelers know what resources they have access to.

Yaft informed the Mobility Committee that some of the initiatives in progress to improve accessibility already exist – they just weren’t properly advertised in all terminals.

These recent initiatives, some of which have already been completed, include projects such as improving the way travelers can call for help at the airport or provide feedback on recent experiences; PA systems and visual paging systems for people with hearing loss; and roadside signage on how to request a wheelchair or catch a tram.

Mayor Pro Tem Natasha Harper-Madison said she heard of a situation where a traveler in need of wheelchair service “had to wait long enough to miss a flight”. Harper-Madison asked what quality control measures are being taken to ensure contractors are meeting their requirements.

Yaft said they are working on signage across the airport to display the airport operations center phone number, which can directly address a traveller’s needs if other systems are not working immediately or properly. She also noted that the airlines and consortium of contractors are working together to obtain metrics on the time of service requests and any repeated complaints so that they can address systemic issues.

Councilor Mackenzie Kelly, who recently sustained an ankle injury on a flight, said she had a good experience with wheelchair access at Austin Airport. She said she was dropped off on the side of the road and was picked up by a wheelchair operator who took her through security to her gate.

“I have to say it seemed a little more efficient for someone in a wheelchair to go through the TSA line,” said Kelly. “The guard gave me the opportunity to stop and eat before we got to the gate, and also gave me the opportunity to use the toilet by taking me there. I know (the experience) will not always be good for everyone, so I am happy to hear that there are ways that people who have a less than ideal experience can express themselves about it so that we can improve Process.”

Photo of LoneStarMike, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

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