Decision No. 378-AT-A-1999
June 29, 1999
IN THE MATTER OF Decision No. 338-AT-A-1998 dated July 3, 1998 - Air Canada.
File No. U 3570/98-4
BACKGROUND
In its Decision No. 338-AT-A-1998 dated July 3, 1998, the Canadian Transportation Agency (hereinafter the Agency) made its determination on the application filed by Barry Arnold concerning the level of services provided by Air Canada to his mother when travelling between London, England, and St. John's, Newfoundland in July and August 1997.
The Agency found that the error made by the reservation agent, specifically the erroneous wheelchair assistance code entered on the passenger's reservation file, constituted an undue obstacle to the mobility of Mrs. Arnold. Although an error was made at the time of booking, the Agency found that the airport personnel present during boarding and deplaning in London and St. John's could have demonstrated better awareness and sensitivity and offered some assistance rather than assuming that the passenger was able to board or deplane without any help.
In this regard, the Agency required Air Canada to report on the following matters:
- whether the London-based reservation and airport customer services personnel received the carrier's Serving Customers with Disabilities awareness and sensitivity initial training program and refresher course and, if not, when this training would be provided;
- whether the St. John's-based airport customer service personnel received any refresher training since August 1997 regarding assistance for passengers with disabilities and, if not, when this refresher training would be provided; and
- the corrective measures implemented by the local station managers in London and St. John's to prevent the recurrence of situations such as those experienced by Mrs. Arnold.
ISSUE
The issue to be addressed is whether the information submitted and the measures undertaken by Air Canada satisfy the requirements of Decision No. 338-AT-A-1998.
FACTS
On August 4, 1998, Air Canada submitted the required report. Further details and clarifications were provided on January 25, January 29, March 26 and May 14, 1999.
With respect to the training issue in London, Air Canada advises that following the introduction of its Serving Customers with Disabilites Training Program in 1992, all Passenger Service Agents were given the subject training. Since then, and within 60 days from their hiring date, all new Customer Service Agents are provided with sensitivity and awareness training by way of Module 1 of the carrier's Training Program as part of their initial training. Air Canada also advises that there is a special team of 20 Passenger Attendants at the Heathrow Airport dedicated to serving customers with disabilities. These agents receive the sensitivity awareness training provided for in Module 1 of the carrier's Training Program and are trained on how to physically assist passengers with mobility impairments (movement and transfer methods) in a safe and efficient way, as provided for in Module 2. Finally, Baggage Station Attendants, who are responsible for the assembly/disassembly and packaging of wheelchairs, receive the Module 1 sensitivity and awareness training as well as training on the safe handling and loading of wheelchairs aboard aircraft, which is provided for in Module 3. On the issue of refresher training, Air Canada advises that all 20 of the Passenger Attendants on the special team have received refresher training. Of the 233 Customer Service Agents identified as requiring refresher training, Air Canada states that 230 have received their training. The 3 remaining agents are currently off duty and Air Canada assures that they will be trained upon their return.
With respect to the training issue in St. John's, Air Canada advises that initial/refresher training of all agents was completed on February 24, 1999.
As corrective measures to prevent the recurrence of situations such as those experienced by Mr. Arnold's mother, Air Canada advises that it has issued a bulletin to its Reservation Agents in London on March 18, 1998 reminding them of the different wheelchair assistance codes and their respective definitions and emphasizing the necessity to obtain information from customers with disabilities to determine the level of assistance required. Another bulletin was issued by its London-based Office on March 27, 1998 reminding Customer Service Agents that a passenger wishing to use his/her own wheelchair for boarding and deplaning can do so; that under no circumstance must a customer's wheelchair be used to provide assistance to another passenger; and that Air Canada's personnel is responsible to provide wheelchair assistance to its customers unless they prefer being assisted by their attendant. Copies of these bulletins were filed with the Agency. Furthermore, Air Canada states that the refresher training given to all agents in London establishes that in cases where the information contained in computerized records shows a different level of assistance than the one actually required, the agents are required to update the passenger name records accordingly and to ensure that downline stations are advised of the actual level of assistance required.
Further to the incident in St. John's, Air Canada advises that the Customer Service Manager has personally reviewed the incident with each of the agents and that the procedures and requirements were reinforced as being of prime concern at all times.
ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
The Agency has considered all of the information and material submitted by Air Canada.
The Agency finds that the information submitted by Air Canada confirms that all employees on duty in both London and St. John's have received initial/refresher training appropriate for the requirements of their functions.
The Agency has also reviewed the corrective measures undertaken by the air carrier by way of the bulletins that were issued to employees in London and the review of the incident that was conducted with the employees in St. John's, and is of the view that employees/agents of the air carrier at both stations were reminded of their obligations as they relate to sensitivity to and awareness of the needs of persons with disabilities and, specifically, of the assistance they are expected to provide to these passengers. The Agency finds that the measures undertaken by the carrier provide for appropriate consultation, a better understanding of passengers' disabilities and needs, and a level of assistance compatible with the passengers' disabilities. These measures should assist in preventing the recurrence of situations similar to the ones experienced by Mrs. Arnold and in eliminating undue obstacles to the mobility of persons with disabilities.
The Agency therefore finds that the information submitted and measures undertaken by Air Canada satisfy the requirements of Decision No. 338-AT-A-1998.
CONCLUSION
Based on the above findings, the Agency does not contemplate further action with respect to this matter.
- Date modified: