Accessibility Plan and Feedback Process 2023-2026

Emirates is committed to making travel inclusive and accessible for all. We constantly redefine standards of experience and make every effort to make air travel as comfortable and as seamless as possible for our customers. We continue to listen to feedback from our customers, colleagues, and advocates to develop improved services and solutions and provide the consistency that travelers with disabilities expect. We aim to progressively create a barrier-free environment in line with the applicable laws and regulations that govern our business.  

Emirates supports the vision of Accessible Canada Act (ACA) that aims to realize a barrier-free Canada by 2040. We endorse the adoption of the Resolution A41-15 on Accessibility by ICAO. We support the industry prioritizing inclusion and accessibility, and of encouraging governments towards uniformity in air transport regulations, standards, and procedures to deliver a safe, reliable, and dignified travel experience for people with disabilities, reduced mobilities, and aging populations. 

Pursuant to Accessible Transportation Planning and Reporting Regulations (ATPRR) and the Accessible Canada Act (ACA), our first progress report for the period June 1^st 2023 to May 31^st 2024 is published and reflected below.

This Accessibility Plan and additional information about Emirates accessible travel is available online at https://emirat.es/accessibility

To provide feedback, or to request this document in an alternate format, contact Emirates at:

Mailing Address

Office of Accessibility

Customer Affairs & Service Audit

Emirates Group Headquarters

Box 686

Dubai, United Arab Emirates

Email

accessibility@emirates.com

Phone

Canada +18007629775
United Arab Emirates +971600555555

Online form

Emirates is committed to making information and communications accessible to the broadest possible audience. To this end, we are working constantly to improve the overall usability of the emirates.com, using Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA success criteria.

Emirates is committed to providing information in alternate formats requested by people with disabilities.

Emirates has rolled out a new hospitality strategy that touches on all aspects of service design, development, and learning, and will empower customer facing colleagues to deliver a consistent experience.

Emirates is committed to ensuring, wherever possible, accessibility of services, equipment, and facilities are considered when procuring services. Accessibility requirements shall be included in Emirates service agreements and contracts related to procurement.

Emirates is committed to ensuring any transportation it manages and controls will be accessible or provide equivalent service. 

Transportation services within Dubai Airports including inter-terminal transfers, trains, buses etc have accessibility features and accommodations.

Emirates is committed to ensuring built environments it manages and controls will be accessible or provide reasonable accommodation.

As a large carrier under Canadian Transportation Agency regulations, Emirates must abide by all provisions of the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations (SOR/2019-244) contained in parts 1, 2, 3, and 7 applicable to foreign carriers.

Feedback received during the reporting period was not related to accessibility (feedback submitted through the incorrect channel).

Emirates has worked with several organizations, including the American Foundation for the Blind and the Royal National Institute for the Blind, to test the usability of our site and to enhance and improve upon the user experience.

Using a variety of access tools and user profiles, the Columbia Lighthouse for the Blind Accessibility Assurance team asked a group of fifteen (15) users to perform several tasks including booking a trip using cash as well as booking using cash and reward miles, locating the status of a flight, identifying what amenities are on a specific flight.

They found that the overall experience of the participants was positive and deemed the site highly usable and highly functional. They claimed there has been significant attention given to developing a site that not only meets WCAG 2.0 guidelines, but a site that is highly usable as well.

In addition to this there were similar sessions held in Arlington Virginia in November 2015 with the American Institute of the Blind (AIB) which was then observed and reviewed by the Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB). Both these sessions were conducted by a third party (User Vision).

Earlier this year there was a series of audits undertaken by Hassle Inclusion in the UK on behalf of the CAA regarding accessibility from which the website was rated as good.

Additionally, to support the movement of athletes from 199 countries participating at global events in the UAE, Emirates consulted with Special Olympics World Games, International Paralympic Committee, and the local organizing committees (LOCs) of World Para Athletics Championship and IWBF’s Wheelchair Basketball World Championships, to ensure a seamless experience.

We worked with Dubai Government’s Community Development Authority, Dubai Autism Centre and held workshops with parents and therapists to inform the development of autism-friendly travel planner for Dubai Airport, and training for hidden disabilities and autism program.