The Travel Agent Website Gold Standard
“Information is the oxygen of the modern age,” Ronald Reagan used to say. Truth is information changes our lives. increases the quality of life and help us to get beyond problems.
Information is an essential tool for travel planning particularly useful for persons with special needs who depend on assistive technology and assistance to be travel by air.
More often than not, travel agents websites do not provide their users the essential information they need to prepare seamless journeys. Frequently, missing requirements of compliance to the existing legal framework put online operators in conflict with equality legislation.
The travel agent website Gold standard addresses key elements of information that must be available to passengers with disabilities while delivering a guideline of compliance to equality legislation.
Website Accessibility
Under the Equality Act of 2010, there may be a case of discrimination where a person with a disability or impairment cannot access the content of a website. It is therefore essential that websites are built with accessibility standards in mind, most commonly (WCAG) 2.0 accessibility guidelines.
Access to information
A clearly visible and accessible link to the “Special Assistance” section of the website shall be available to users on the home page of the website, as well as in the navigation menu of all internal pages.
Legally required information
All rules on carriage of disabled persons or persons with reduced mobility, including the need to pre book assistance, shall be made available to the website user prior to the booking process. A system to collect requests for assistance must be available within the booking process.
Information for consumers
The special assistance page shall contain all essential information for consumers. Said information must be written in a simple, clearly understandable fashion. Information must contain a summary of the passengers’ right to assistance, free allowance entitlements, and useful travel tips. The page must also contain direct links to websites providing essential information for persons with special needs.
Reduced Mobility Rights consulting services provide online travel agents cost effective turnkey and bespoke solutions to improve the user experience of their customers with special needs and ensure compliance with equality legislation. Contact us to learn more.
