DEAF YOUNGSTERS need to be specially considered when flying according to the National Deaf Children's Society (NDCS) who are calling for airlines to take action to clear up the current confusion and uncertainty that exists with airlines regarding treatment of passengers with hearing problems. This follows a recent incident at Heathrow where a group of young adults were denied a flight. A similar incident also occurred at Liverpool last year. There is already a government Voluntary Code of Practice which offers advice to airlines on how to treat deaf passengers. To be fair most good airlines do look after passengers with physical and medical problems very well. What NDCS is doing is just reminding those carriers who lack in this area of their responsibilities. The cost is minimal and includes the provision of personal hearing neck loops for passengers who need them; subtitled safety videos and ensuring that staff have undertaken deaf awareness training and have a basic level of sign language knowledge. And also on the disability front Thomas Cook Airlines is to repaint the toilet compartments of its fleet of 24 aircraft so that partially sighted passengers can more easily locate essential fittings. Use of contrasting colours will enable passengers to identify such items as the toilet flush button and the door handle.
http://www.ndcs.org.uk