Emirates introduces new accessibility and inclusion services for all travellers

The largest exhibition for people with disabilities in the Middle East was officially opened by His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, Chairman and CEO of Emirates Airline & Group and Patron of the AccessAbilities Expo.

At the event, Emirates showcased new products and creative innovations such as a virtual reality airport tour, a sign language robot, a new protective wheelchair transport device, an app that provides accessible video assistance to visually impaired people, sensory airport guides for neurodivergent customers, and a chauffeur-driven vehicle equipped with an electric wheelchair lift, among others.

Emirates has long been committed to ensuring that the end-to-end travel experience is accessible and inclusive for all travellers, but this focus has been strengthened in 2024, following the landmark introduction of the Emirates Accessibility Policy and the launch of the Accessibility & Inclusion Office within Emirates’ Customer Affairs and Service Audit division, facilitating strategy across the business and driving advocacy among aviation ecosystem partners. AccessAbilities Expo Dubai provided an ideal platform to showcase the many innovations and services that have been in long-term development at Emirates and for teams to connect directly with the accessible travel community in the region.

Emirates to launch Be My Eyes app

Emirates will soon be integrating the Be My Eyes app for the blind and low vision community, making it the first airline in the world to launch this service. The Be My Eyes app offers accessible video assistance to customers, creating empathetic experiences for customers with disabilities. Customers can download the Be My Eyes app for free on their smartphones and by selecting Emirates from the list of company profiles in the app, they can make a call through the Emirates call centre to receive assistance via a live video call. The Emirates agent can then direct the customer in which direction to walk or what to do next. The Be My Eyes app has grown in popularity and is supported by 8 million volunteers who become the eyes of the blind and low vision community.

Emirates Sensory Guide for Neurodivergent Travelers

As part of the numerous initiatives implemented for neurodivergent customers, Emirates has launched a new sensory guide in the form of an infographic for Emirates Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport (DXB). The sensory guide is an educational and informational tool that has been developed in collaboration with the International Board of Accreditation and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) to identify the sensory stimuli that customers can expect and experience throughout their journey through Terminal 3. The guide informs customers about the potential intensity level of sensory stimuli such as sound, light, smell, touch and the presence of sudden noises or flashing lights at specific locations around the airport. The Emirates Sensory Guide will be available on the Accessible Travel page on Emirates.com.

Emirates accessible chauffeur service

At the exhibition, Emirates introduced to attendees the first Emirates-branded wheelchair accessible vehicle. The Chauffeur Drive vehicle is a Mercedes V250 van that features an electric wheelchair lift and ramp. The lift is an electric device designed to extend and lower to ground level to safely lift a wheelchair and its occupant into the vehicle without any hassle. Once inside, additional safety devices secure the customer who may have severe mobility disabilities. Emirates chauffeurs are being trained in mobility and lifting assistance to assist customers with disabilities. The wheelchair accessible vehicle is currently used for First Class and Business Class customers using Dubai-based chauffeur services, with plans to expand its availability in the future.

The Emirates sign language robot

The sign language robot has been developed to provide information and guidance services to deaf and hard-of-hearing customers. Initial trials include training the robot to understand specific sign language phrases and gestures so it can respond with travel information such as flight status or wayfinding at airports, easing anxiety for customers with disabilities. The robot has a screen that can display maps, directions and even an AI-powered Emirati guide who responds to the customer in sign language. Once fully developed, the aim is to extend the technology to different digital channels.

Virtual reality tour of the Emirates

The VR tour is a digital travel rehearsal for customers with accessibility requirements, where a VR headset allows the customer to explore and practice the journey through Emirates Terminal 3, Dubai International Airport (DXB) from any location. The VR tour highlights all areas where inclusive services can be applied, including the assistance service offered by the Sunflower lanyard for hidden disabilities, priority queues for customers in Immigration and Customs areas, biometric-accessible boarding gates and more. In the future, the VR tour has the potential to be integrated into Emirates.com, so customers around the world can access it before their journey.

Emirates wheelchair bucket

Emirates’ new wheelchair bucket concept seeks to offer a solution for the safe transportation of mobility devices and equipment. The bucket solution keeps wheelchairs intact during transport and handling and can be safely secured within the aircraft for added protection. The design recognises the critical importance of providing peace of mind to customers for whom a wheelchair is an extension of their physical body, is essential to their quality of life and has often been modified and customised for its owner at considerable expense.

Accessibility tools in the seat

At the Expo, Emirates showcased a row of Premium Economy seats to show attendees the onboard accessibility tools that can make flying more comfortable, including noise-cancelling headphones that can benefit neurodiverse customers, the onboard wheelchair that is used once the customer’s own wheelchair has been stowed and secured, the scala combi that helps customers with limited mobility to ascend and descend stairs, the easyglide and belt that help customers with mobility issues glide from their wheelchair in the cabin to their seat comfortably, and seatbelt extensions when they may be needed.

Accessible in-flight entertainment

More than 20 years ago, Emirates was the first airline to use subtitles to assist the hearing impaired in its inflight entertainment, later also adding audio description (AD) functionality. Hundreds of films on Emirates’ award-winning ice programme now offer these additional features to support customers with hearing, vision and neurodiversity impairments. On Emirates’ upcoming new A350 aircraft, the inflight entertainment system will have a user interface option specifically designed for people who are blind or have low vision.

Services and solutions for travelers with autism

For travellers with cognitive disabilities and sensory issues, Emirates has been hard at work on a number of initiatives, including Certified Autism Centre™ designations for all four of its check-in facilities in Dubai – Emirates City Check-in & Travel Store at DIFC, Emirates Cruise Check In – Port Rashid, Emirates Cruise Check In – Dubai Harbour and Emirates City Check-In Ajman – in addition to Emirates’ dedicated passenger centre at Terminal 3 at Dubai International Airport (DXB). This achievement follows Dubai International Airport’s recent recognition as the first international airport to achieve the IBCCES designation and aligns with the Department of Economy and Tourism’s (DET) vision to become the first Certified Autism Destination™ (CAD) in the Eastern Hemisphere. Multiple services are available to customers who identify as neurodiverse to support their journey, from pre-travel guidance to priority routing through the airport.

Video showing the digital accessibility of the Emirates platform

At AccessAbilities Expo 2024, Emirates showcased the digital accessibility of Emirates.com through a dedicated video. The Emirates website has applied the highest standard of Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) for the past 10 years and supports screen reading technologies. Emirates’ digital team works with external consultants to conduct regular independent audits to test the website’s accessibility. Emirates.com also features a 3D visualisation tool and seat map, which can enable neurodiverse customers to explore their seat and the aircraft in advance.

Training for cabin crew and ground staff

More than 29,000 Emirates cabin crew and ground staff around the world have completed Emirates’ training on ‘Introduction to Autism and Hidden Disabilities’. The online course was first launched in 2022 and covers a range of topics from recognising autism, practical tips on how to support passengers with hidden disabilities, how to respond with empathy and information on official support systems to assist passengers at the airport. Emirates is currently revamping the content and will expand inclusion awareness and training programmes for all Emirates employees and supplier partners.

Working together with key entities

Emirates works closely with numerous entities to ensure leading practices across the entire travel process, including the Department of Economy and Tourism, Dubai Airports, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs, Dubai Police and Dubai Customs, reflecting Dubai’s commitment to becoming the best city in the world to live and visit, in line with Dubai’s D33 agenda.

Source: Emirates