To encourage people with a disability to travel, Gatwick has today published new videos that show the journey through the airport from the perspective of someone in a wheelchair and someone who is partially sighted.
The films are designed to inspire confidence by demonstrating the possibilities for independent or semi-independent travel – and show what travelling through Gatwick Airport is like from the perspective of two frequent flyers.
Sophie Bradbury-Cox, social media influencer, and Marc Powell, Paralympian and Innovation Strategist at the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) both feature in the films:
Sophie Bradbury-Cox said: “It’s been fantastic to be able to show what it’s like for me, as a wheelchair user, to navigate around the airport. It can be an exciting and sometimes daunting experience, but at Gatwick, I was able to get the right help at the times I needed it.”
Marc Powell said: “It’s great to work with Gatwick to highlight what it’s like for me to travel through a busy airport. Everyone’s different but for me it’s important to retain a level of independence when traveling. I rely on accessing the infrastructure and when I can’t, being able to get assistance when I need it is key.”
Included in the films is a demonstration of how the airport’s special assistance service works and other initiatives to help make passengers’ journeys smoother. The films have also been published in October – one of the busiest months for disabled travellers now that the schools have returned from summer holidays.
Jack Bigglestone-Silk, Accessibility Manager, Gatwick Airport said: “We’ve been working hard to improve accessibility for all our passengers and these videos show, not only how far we’ve come, but how we are still continuing to work on improvements. We want to be the UK’s most accessible airport and it’s important that we continue to work with passengers, charity partners and other experts to make that ambition a reality.”
John Worsfold, – Innovation Through Partnerships, RNIB said: “It’s great collaborating with Gatwick Airport, empowering them to better understand the needs of blind and partially sighted passengers, highlighting real experiences for those travelling with a range of requirements. Being able to work closely with businesses like Gatwick Airport allows us to share our learnings to create tangible benefits to the way people travel.”
Gatwick also recently announced a new independent panel – made up of experts in the travel needs of disabled passengers and people with reduced mobility – to help shape Gatwick’s accessibility strategy and improve services for disabled passengers.
Quelle: Gatwick Airport
