What’s the worst part of traveling? Many people say it’s getting to their destination. And that has a lot to do with airports. Airports are notoriously chaotic and uncomfortable. But for travelers with disabilities, they can be downright unhospitable and inhumane.
Although disability rights advocates have been sounding the alarm for years, the current airport model continues to fall short for people with disabilities. They endure substandard experiences ranging from insufficient assistance services, to being abandoned by staff at the wrong gates or baggage claims, to being left in airline wheelchairs on tarmacs.
But airports have the potential to be ideal testing grounds for new technologies and systems that can revolutionize not only the travel experience but also inclusivity in broader contexts. Consider crucial flight updates currently announced solely through loudspeakers at departure gates. Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport recently pioneered talk-to-text technology, using live AI transcription to display gate announcements in real-time on nearby screens. And Tokyo’s Narita International Airport and Winnipeg James Armstrong Richardson International Airport in Canada have launched self-driving vehicle programs to help passengers with reduced mobility navigate terminals independently. Such initiatives not only benefit travelers with disabilities but also represent a step toward a more universally accessible airport experience.
These examples are promising and indicate change is on the horizon. But to truly transform airports into more inclusive spaces, the aviation industry needs to do more than merely comply with ADA regulations, which often represent the bare minimum. This is where the expertise of universal design experts becomes indispensable.
Universal design principles should be at the forefront of every airport expansion project. Take, for instance, the redevelopment of Kansas City International Airport, which embarked on a mission to become the world’s most accessible terminal. Through collaboration with advocacy and community groups, this ambitious redesign resulted in wheelchair-accessible check-in and information desks, all-gender restrooms, sensory rooms for neurodivergent travelers, and universal changing tables to meet the needs of both children and adults.
These transformations paint a picture of a more welcoming, functional, and autonomous airport environment. By adopting UD principles to create solutions for particularly uninviting spaces, we are paving the way for a future where every environment is dignified. Ready to create such an environment? My team and I can guide you every step of the way.
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