Article

As a component of a training development project for intercity air
travel providers, we investigated the capacity of the airline industry to meet
the needs of travelers with disabilities by exploring: (1) the level of
sensitivity among personnel to travelers' needs, (2) training currently provided,
(3) areas in which additional training might be beneficial, and (4) organisational/systems-level commitment to dignified assistance to all travelers.
METHOD: Forty-four airline/vendor employees participated in nine focus groups in
four US cities. Groups were audio recorded and transcribed. A grounded-theory
approach was used to develop a coding system which was then applied to
transcripts to identify themes. RESULTS: Factors influencing capacity grouped
broadly into four areas: characteristics of the job/system, characteristics of
current training, characteristics of providers themselves, and characteristics of
travelers. At an interpersonal level, providers were empathetic and desired to
provide dignified services. They lacked training and adequate equipment in some
cases, however, and organisational commitment varied between companies. Traveler
characteristics were also shown to impact service delivery. CONCLUSIONS: Results
are promising but additional regulatory and organisational policies are needed to
ensure quality services. Providers and consumers of intercity air travel services
may benefit from the findings and recommendations of this study.

Langue : ANGLAIS