Accessibility Plan Progress Report 2024
Introduction
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.
This Accessibility Plan Progress Report, for the period June 1st, 2023, to May 31st, 2024, is published Pursuant to Accessible Transportation Planning and Reporting Regulations (ATPRR) and the Accessible Canada Act (ACA).
General
Position designated to receive feedback on behalf of Emirates: Head of Office of Accessibility.
Means by which the public can provide feedback:
a) Mail: Office of Accessibility, CASA, Emirates Group Headquarters, PO Box 686, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
b) Email: accessibility@emirates.com
c) Phone: Canada - +1 800 762 9775 / United Arab Emirates - + 971 600 555555
d) Online form for anonymous feedback: https://www.emirates.com/ca/english/help/forms/anonymous-feedback/
Customers may request an alternative format of the Emirates Accessibility Plan, a description of the feedback process, or the latest Emirates Accessibility Plan Progress Report via any of the channels listed above.
Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)
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.
| Action | Target completion | Progress Report 1 Comments |
| Continuously enhance the overall usability of emirates.com using WCAG 2.0 Level AA success criteria. | June 2026 | Ongoing – Target completion remains unchanged – June 2026.
As part of our ongoing work to improve the website for all users we will run usability testing where the participants have a range of cognitive and physical abilities during 2025. This will ensure that the site is not only technically compliant with the principles of WCAG but also fully usable for all. Sourcing participants with a diversity of needs within our usability testing cadence is being embedded into our standard ways of working. |
Communication, other than ICT
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.
| Action | Target completion | Progress Report 1 Comments |
| Ensure all customer‑facing colleagues complete the specialized training on hidden disabilities and autism to recognize autism, to understand the practical tips on how to assist passengers with hidden disabilities, to respond with empathy, and to inform on the support systems to help passengers in the airport. | Ongoing | Ongoing – 29,000 customer-facing colleagues have now completed the training. This training is also part of the new joiners onboarding program. |
| Expand the provision of hidden disabilities and autism‑friendly products, services, and solutions to include a) recognition of visual identifier like sunflower lanyard; b) autism‑friendly travel planner; c) autism‑friendly sensory guide for Emirates terminal; d) travel rehearsal program etc. | June 2024 | Closed - Emirates continues to design and deliver solutions for customers with autism and sensory sensitivities, and was recently awarded the Certified Autism CentreTM designation for our dedicated hub (Terminal 3), in addition to all city check in’s. Dubai International Airport also became the first international airport to earn this designation.
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| Upon request, Emirates will provide its accessibility plan in an alternate format for persons with disabilities in the stipulated time. | June 2024 | Closed |
| Mainstream disability awareness across the organization through awareness, education, and participation campaigns. | Ongoing | Ongoing |
| Review and introduce assistive interaction tools (such as Be My Eyes, video for sign language) for people with low vision or blind and people who are hard of hearing or deaf. | June 2025 | Ongoing– Target completion remains unchanged – June 2025. |
Procurement of goods, services, and facilities
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.
| Action | Target completion | Progress Report 1 Comments |
| Include Accessibility requirements, where needed, as part of the Procurement and RFP process for physical and digital products, services, and facilities. | June 2025 | Ongoing – Target completion remains unchanged – June 2025. |
| Ensure equipment and items procured by Ground Service Providers for people with disabilities meet accessibility requirements | June 2025 | Ongoing – Target completion remains unchanged – June 2025. |
| Ensure that new software purchases include accessibility requirements where possible. | June 2025 | Ongoing – Target completion remains unchanged – June 2025. |
Design and delivery of programs and services
| Action | Target completion | Progress Report 1 Comments |
| Formalize the establishment of advisory council with disability communities and associations representing the various disabilities, including annual consultations with Emirates customer facing colleagues and frequent flyer members. | June 2025 June 2026 | Ongoing – Target completion remains unchanged – June 2026.
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| Provide ACA progress reports based on stated deadlines and notify the ACA regulators when updated accessibility progress reports are published. | June 1, 2025 | Ongoing – First progress report for June 1, 2024 is submitted. |
| Update Emirates Accessibility Plan a minimum of every three years and notify the ACA regulators when updated accessibility plans are published. | June 1, 2026 | Ongoing – Target completion remains unchanged – June 2026. |
Transportation
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.
Built Environment
Emirates is committed to ensuring built environments it manages and controls will be accessible or provide reasonable accommodation.
Provisions of CTA Accessibility-related Regulations
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. Details about the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations (SOR/2019-244) can be found at: https://laws-lois.justice.gc.ca/eng/regulations/SOR-2019-244/index.html(Opens an external website in a new tab)
Feedback Information
During the reporting period, feedback received using the methods described in Feedback Process and Alternative Formats, was not related to accessibility (feedback submitted through the wrong channel).
Consultations
Between March – June 2023, a series of audits were undertaken by Hassell Inclusion in the UK on behalf of the CAA regarding accessibility from which Emirates website was rated as good.
In October 2023, Emirates completed its annual consultation with customer-facing colleagues that provided ongoing feedback on areas for improvement.
In December 2023, Emirates consulted with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Educational Standards (IBCCES) to gather data for development of sensory guides for Emirates Hub, in Dubai.
Between September 2023 and March 2024, Emirates partnered with the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards (IBCCES) to audit our process and facilities at our hub. Based on IBCCES applied framework for health, education, and the hospitality sector, we are reviewing additional considerations that can further enhance the experience for customers with autism and sensory sensitivities.
During 2023‑2024, Emirates conducted five travel rehearsals with multiple autism centres in the UAE; Dubai Autism Centre, Safe Centre for Autism, Rashid Centre for People of Determination, and the New England Centre Children Clinic. This included a one-off unique Emirates flight(Opens an external website in a new tab), on April 25, 2024, to celebrate World Autism Awareness Month.
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.