AC Connex Enables Advisors to Find Flights That Accommodate Client Mobility Aids

Making booking accessible travel just that little bit easier, Air Canada has added a feature to AC Connex enabling advisors to filter flight options based on mobility aid dimensions, making it easier to identify flights operated by aircraft that can accommodate a customer’s device. 

“This will help agents make more informed booking decisions and better support customers who travel with mobility aids,” said Rob Mands, Manager, Customer Accessibility for the airline.

Similar to a feature on Air Canada’s customer-facing website, the new filter enables advisors to input the dimensions of their client’s mobility aid during the booking process, which results in a listing of flights that can accommodate the equipment.

The idea to add the filter to the advisor booking site came from David Lyons-Black, an Accessible Travel Expert at Travel Masters in Vancouver, BC.

“I can’t take the credit for this idea, that belongs to David,” said Mands. “I reached out to him for input on the dimension filter and he suggested that this needed to be added to AC Connex so travel agents could access the same information when booking on behalf of customers. It was because of David’s suggestion that I reached out to the dev team for AC Connex and got them to add the filter.”

“Any agent can do this and look great to their clients,” said Lyons-Black in a conversation with Travel Market Report Canada. He and other travel advisor advocates for improved accessible travel have participated in Travel Market Place events across Canada over the past two years, educating fellow advisors on how to serve this market.

“You just click the filter, fill in the dimensions of the chair, and the website will tell you every flight that’s available that will accommodate it. You don’t have to call the accessibility desk,” Lyons-Black added. 

The accessible travel expert praised Air Canada for its leadership in this area. “I made a suggestion and three weeks later it was done. Air Canada is going forward, not backward, while it’s like pulling teeth to get other airlines to address accessibility concerns.”

He adds that the accessible travel market continues to grow as our population ages.

“Everybody’s afraid of this topic, but you don’t need to be afraid. We aren’t getting younger, and this demographic is changing and growing.”

Mands said the new capability is an illustration of what can happen when advisors and suppliers collaborate.

“Please join me in thanking David for this contribution and for continuing to champion accessibility,” he said.