Air Carrier Access Act Technical Assistance Manual (2005)

General Tips for Interacting with Individuals with Disabilities

• Always ask. The most effective and simplest step for you to take when you are uncertain about a passenger’s needs is to ask, “May I assist you?” or “Please let me know how I can assist you.” A passenger with a disability has the most information about his or her abilities, level of familiarity with the airport and airline, and needs when traveling.

• Appreciate the passenger’s perspective. Take into consideration the extra time and energy that traveling may require for a person with a disability. For example, you should realize that a person with a disability may not have the flexibility and spontaneity to react to unexpected situations. Understand that making adjustments may take more time or may require additional attention or services for passengers with a disability.

• Be yourself and be self-aware. It is important to relax, be yourself, and maintain the conversational style you would use for anyone else when you are speaking with a person with a disability. Be aware of the possibility that your body language could convey discomfort or impatience; try to avoid this. Also, respect the privacy of individuals with disabilities. Asking about a person’s disability can be perceived as intrusive and insensitive. It might be interpreted as placing the disability above the human being.

• Don’t make assumptions. Don’t assume that all individuals with a disability automatically need assistance. Keep in mind that if the setting is accessible, individuals with a disability would usually prefer to operate independently.

• Emotions matter. Acknowledge the emotions of the person in a stressful situation, e.g., frustration or disappointment. When acknowledging the emotions of others, it may be more effective to use “you” rather than “I.” For example, use, “You must be frustrated by having to wait for your checked wheelchair.” Not, “I completely understand how you feel, I had to wait forever at a supermarket check-out yesterday.”

• Focus on the person, not the disability. The emphasis is on the person first, not the disability.

• Keep the passenger informed. When providing an accommodation to a passenger with a disability, keep the passenger updated about the progress or timing in connection with such accommodation.

• Knowledge is useful. Be aware of the services, information, and resources available to a person with a disability who asks about a particular accommodation. If you don’t know the answer to the question, treat the individual with respect and courtesy and say, “Let me find out for you.” Don’t make guesses about what accommodations or services to provide a person with a disability. When explaining requirements under the law to a passenger with a disability, avoid rendering legal advice or counseling the person in any way.

• The passenger is the expert. Offer assistance only if the passenger appears to need help. If the passenger asks for help, ask how you can assist and listen to the passenger’s response and instructions before you act. If you have any doubts as to how to assist a passenger with a disability, you should ask the passenger for guidance before acting. Avoid being overly enthusiastic about helping and always think before you speak and act when offering assistance.

• Respect personal space. Be sensitive about physical contact. Avoid patting an individual with a disability or touching the individual’s wheelchair or cane. People with disabilities consider their assistive devices to be part of their personal space.

• Speak directly to the passenger. Always make eye contact and speak directly to a person with a disability, not the person’s companion, attendant, or interpreter.

• Treat each passenger as an individual. It is important to recognize that people with disabilities may vary in their ability to perform certain tasks. Individuals with a disability are best able to assess and gauge what they can and cannot do in a particular situation.

It is always important to keep the above tips in mind when assisting and communicating with passengers with disabilities. As a practical matter though, you will need to be aware of different considerations depending on the type of disability the passenger self-identifies as having.

Below are five basic types of disabilities with a list of considerations to keep in mind when you are communicating with and accommodating passengers with each type of disability. Even though these five types of disabilities are set forth here, each passenger with a disability should be considered as an individual with individual needs. It is important for you to communicate with each passenger about that particular passenger’s needs under the circumstances and to avoid making assumptions about the passenger’s needs. The five basic types of disabilities addressed below are: People who are blind or visually-impaired; people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind; people with mobility disabilities; people who have difficulty speaking, and people with disabilities that are not apparent (e.g., a cognitive or emotional disability, diabetes, etc.).