I’m hoping this announcement by Virgin Atlantic is substance, not spin.

 

It’s great news that the airline is training the Cabin Crew in sign language.  It would be even more impressive if it means:

• At least one cabin attendant per flight was fluent in sign language

• This is part of a wider package by Virgin Atlantic to better cater for anyone travelling with disabilities

 

In the UK alone there are around 16 million people with some form of disability and almost 25 percent of the population is over 60.  Two decades before that age, sight, hearing and feeling all start to decline.  We don’t notice this ageing process because it’s so gradual but it’s taking place continually.  And as people live longer lives with richer, more fulfilling retirements, so the opportunity to cater for this audience grows for the travel industry.

 

This challenge demands innovative thinking, some of which I saw earlier this year at the AIX show in Hamburg.  It also needs champions who are prepared to demand better. This subject was also covered by our client AirHelp's report on the rights of passengers that find travelling difficult for whatever reason. 

 

I had a relative who was a long time wheelchair user, who loved travelling but hated flying.  Being first on the plane might be seen as a bonus but – after a long flight – being last off is certainly not.

She found cruise holidays far more accommodating of wheelchair users and took to doing that instead.  How many customers has aviation lost in this way?

 

Creating an inclusive environment for people with impaired sight, hearing or other issues that make travel more difficult makes a lot of sense commercially.  Not only is this a growing market, but providing a better service to those that might otherwise struggle to travel is a great brand differentiator in a market driven primarily by price.

 

And the potential benefits are widespread.  Designing products or services for a particular audience can bring incredible crossover success for brands – just ask BT with its big buttoned phones or OXO with its Good Grips range.  I wrote a blog here about this if you are interested in reading more.