Changi Airport Group shows support to those with 'invisible disabilities'

Changi Airport Group (CAG) has launched three new initiatives to better support persons with invisible disabilities, such as autism spectrum disorder, down syndrome, and dementia, to create a more stress-free and inclusive travel experience for these travellers. 

The initiatives include a customisable step-by-step airport guide, special identifying lanyards and the deployment of staff trained in identifying persons with invisible disabilities, so passengers can get help more easily and discreetly. Aimed at creating a more stress-free and inclusive travel experience for these passengers, these initiatives were developed by CAG, in consultation with special needs schools and organisations such as Rainbow Centre Training and Consultancy 

Damon Wong, VP of CAG’s passenger experience, ground operations and customer service, said that navigating unfamiliar places and procedures while catching a flight can be stressful, especially for passengers whose disabilities may not be immediately apparent. "We worked closely with experts and sought feedback from the community on how we could better support their needs at the airport. The initiatives aim to improve the overall travel experience for passengers with invisible disabilities and we hope it makes the airport a more comfortable and accessible place for them,” he added.

CAG's airport guide, Changi Airport Social Story, aims to help reduce the stress of unfamiliar situations such as travelling for persons with invisible disabilities. Jointly developed with educators from Rainbow Centre, the guide comprises pictures and short descriptions, outlining the entire airport journey from check-in to boarding in a way that is easy to understand. Travellers and caregivers can go through the processes using the pictures in the social story during their pre-flight preparation. As the social story is downloadable, it can also be customised to suit the needs of each traveller's journey, and even printed for physical use.

Meanwhile, travellers who prefer a more discreet way of indicating their invisible disabilities may go for CAG's "Hidden Disabilities Sunflower" lanyard, or the Land Transport Authority’s “May I Have a Seat Please” lanyard. According to a statement by CAG, its staff have been trained to identify these lanyards and to come forward to offer additional support, such as allowing more time for these passengers to complete a particular procedure or guiding them through airport processes. 

Additionally, Changi Care Ambassadors will be on ground to provide support to travellers with invisible disabilities. The ambassadors can be identified by the gold care ambassador pin on their uniform. The ambassadors have undergone training with Rainbow Centre and are equipped with the skillsets to assist travellers with special needs effectively. CAG currently has 300 ambassadors deployed across various touchpoints, and plans to expand the training to more staff this year. 

Arthur Elfin Chiang, assistant director of Rainbow Centre training and consultancy, said that CAG's initiatives align extremely well with its vision of empowering persons with disabilities so they can thrive in inclusive communities. "Rainbow Centre is heartened to know that CAG is taking steps towards being an inclusive airport so passengers of disabilities can be better served and included. Through capability building of CAG staff and airport partners, we hope to bring about a mindset shift towards inclusion and disability. With the adoption of inclusive practices by CAG to interact with and support persons with disabilities at the various airport touchpoints, we are confident that their user experience at the airport will be uplifted,” he added.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to CAG for comment.

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