PLAY Progress report

At PLAY airlines, we are committed to continually enhancing air travel for individuals with disabilities and taking concrete action to ensure a better experience moving forward. To achieve this, we will: 

• Maintain ongoing consultation with passengers, employees, and organizations specialized in the rights and services for individual’s with disabilities. 
• Establish guidelines for managers regarding their roles and responsibilities in supporting employees and passengers with disabilities. 
• Enhance accessibility training for front-line employees and expand their education on accommodating passengers with disabilities. 
• Support ongoing research and development to enhance aircraft accessibility features, ensuring safe and feasible options that expand travel opportunities for passengers with disabilities. 
• Engage with individuals with disabilities and organization that represents them to ensure accessibility is integrated into the development process. 
• Gather feedback from individuals with disabilities, to understand the barriers they encounter. 
• Regularly update our website with the latest content on accessibility and support for individuals with disabilities. 

The person designated for receiving feedback on behalf of the entity is Hólmfríður María, Service Manager.  

To request an alternate format of our progress report, alternate description of the feedback process or to provide feedback, please contact us by using one of the following methods: 

Email:
[email protected]Link opens in a new tab

Mail:
Fly Play
Sudurlandsbraut 14
108 Reykjavík
Iceland

Phone:
+354 800 9668

Feedback may be provided anonymously. We will acknowledge receipt of feedback, other than anonymous feedback, in the same way it was received.  

We will provide the following alternative formats of this feedback process on request: 

• Print 
• Large print  
• Braille  
• Audio (a recording of someone reading the text out loud) 

We are dedicated to enhancing interactions with both passengers and employees by tackling communication barriers head-on. Our objective is to disseminate information and promote our products and services in the most accessible manner conceivable. This commitment extends to delivering information through diverse accessible channels and actively engaging individuals with disabilities to identify the most effective communication methods across all aspects of our services. 

Our goals are to ensure the communications with our customers are created in a clear and easily understandable language to ensure that all customers can comprehend the information without confusion and to educate our employees on effective communication strategies when interacting with colleagues and passengers with disabilities. 

Over the past year (2023-2024), we have made progress in enhancing our accessibility training for crew members. Alongside the basic training provided in their initial course, we have incorporated questions about the rights of disabled individuals into their final exam. Additionally, disability refresher training has been included in the senior recurrent courses. 

All our aircrafts are equipped with onboard wheelchairs. Crew members have been instructed to offer these wheelchairs to passengers who appear to have difficulty moving around, even if they haven't requested assistance upon boarding. 

Since we began operations in 2021, we have been members of the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program, a globally recognized symbol for non-visible disabilities. This program has been integrated into all our training for new employees in service, cabin crew, and passenger operations. 

Our top priority is to proactively monitor and address all reports and incidents related to disabilities, ensuring prompt and effective action on all potential issues. We have established a workgroup comprising members from various relevant departments across the company to eliminate barriers and enhance the passenger experience. 

We prioritize accessibility across all aspects of our telecommunications, computer networks, and digital platforms, including our website. 

Our dedication encompasses our employees, as we continuously evaluate and improve digital accessibility integration. We are committed to ensure seamless communication with our passengers through diverse channels email, social media, chat, phone or online forms.  

Our website adheres to WCAG 2.0 Level AA accessibility standards, guaranteeing consistent and user-friendly navigation and presentation. 

The redesigning and improvement of the booking flow, with a focus on accessibility, are our key priorities. Since the beginning of operation in 2021, the IT department has been focusing on improving the booking engine to be as accessible as possible for all customers, particularly on the home page and booking flow. This includes identifying areas needing improvement and incorporating accessibility considerations into the redesign process. 

The redesign is currently in the design phase, integrating accessibility features for a more inclusive user experience. The project will move into the programming phase in the next couple of weeks, which will take a few weeks to complete. During this phase, the designed accessibility features will be implemented and tested. 

While the initial focus is on the home page, further testing and development will ensure the entire booking flow meets accessibility standards, involving comprehensive testing to address any additional issues. The IT department will provide updates as the project progresses, including notifications upon the completion of the design phase, the start of the programming phase, and the completion of programming and testing. 

In 2023, we consulted with the Icelandic Disability Organization. Following their guidance, we have taken steps to enhance our accessibility services. We have now added comprehensive information to our website specifically for passengers with invisible disabilities. This section details the available services and how to access them. We upgraded our online booking system to allow passengers to request special assistance services directly during the booking process. This feature is also available in their MyPLAY account, ensuring a seamless and user-friendly experience. 

These improvements reflect our commitment to providing inclusive and accessible services for all our passengers. We will continue to work closely with relevant organizations to ensure our services meet the highest accessibility standards. 

We continuously improve our practices to ensure our services are as inclusive as possible for individuals with disabilities. Accessibility considerations are integrated into every aspect of our decision-making and operations. From the outset of our procurement processes, we prioritize accessibility to proactively address and minimize potential barriers. 

Continuously evolving, we regularly review and enhance our procurement policies, processes, and tools. This ensures an inclusive environment where all suppliers and third party contractors are empowered to confidently engage in our procurement processes. 

We are committed to adhering to inclusive and accessible design and delivery across all our programs and services.  

In our training program for frontline employees, we've collaborated closely with Open Doors, a nonprofit organization specialized in the rights and service for individuals with disabilities. Drawing from their expertise, we have developed comprehensive training programs for all departments, incorporating invaluable recommendations from the Icelandic Disability Organization.  

We are also in collaboration with MedAire, who assist us onboard our aircrafts. MedAire helps passengers if any critical health situation arises onboard.  

In 2023, the Icelandic Disability Organization emphasized the critical importance of efficient ground handling involving third parties. We are actively reviewing and enhancing processes to ensure everything is current and effective. 

Our cabin crew undergoes comprehensive training on the rights and care of individuals with disabilities. This includes both initial and recurrent sessions. In line with our commitments, we have for example emphasize to our crew members to offer wheelchairs onboard to passengers who appear to have difficulty moving around, even if they haven't requested assistance upon boarding. 

We adhere to all IATA standards for the transportation of individuals with disabilities. This commitment ensures that our service meets global best practices for accessibility. 

When we experience sudden flight diversion, our goal is always to try our very best to prioritize the needs of disabled passengers as effectively as possible. Our goal is to ensure that their comfort and requirements are given the utmost consideration during such situations.  

All passengers with disability or paralyzed can select seats free of charge. They need to contact the service team to do so. While they cannot be seated in emergency exit rows, we ensure that they are pre-seated, preferably in rows 1-7, which offer the most leg space. 

Our training programs for both ground operations and passenger operations include comprehensive introduction on the rights of disabled individuals. This training is designed to equip our employees with the knowledge and skills needed to provide the best possible care and service to passengers with disabilities. 

Every employee involved in passenger operations and ground operations receives training on both hidden and visible disabilities. This training includes best practices on how to treat and assist passengers with different needs. 

By adhering to these principles and continuously improving our policies and training, we strive to provide an inclusive and supportive travel experience for passengers with disabilities. 

We prioritize that all our facilities are accessible to individuals with disabilities. We are committed to meeting accessibility standards in both our aircraft and workplaces. We operate in multiple international airports, and we actively collaborate to address unique accessibility challenges. We are dedicated to implementing meaningful improvements based on feedback from both our passengers and our employees. 

We are an equal opportunity employer that values each employee based on their merits. Equality is integral to our company policy, and we strictly adhere to an equal pay policy. 

Our crew is trained to proactively offer the use of onboard wheelchairs to passengers with disabilities as mentioned above, ensuring they do not have to ask for assistance. This training is part of our commitment to providing accessible and respectful service. 

We promise to adhere to all new rules and procedures regarding disabled access, continually improving accessibility at both airports and on airplanes. 

We adhere to the regulations established under subsection 170(1) of the Canada Transportation Act: Accessibile Transportation to Person with Disabilites Regulations: ss. (5(1)(a), 24-61: 

Air Transportation Regulations, Part VIILink opens in a new tab 

Personnel Training for the Assistance of Persons with Disabilities RegulationsLink opens in a new tab 

We actively request feedback from passengers with disabilities to ensure continuous improvement in our services. 

We started last month, May 2024, to send out monthly surveys specifically targeting passengers with disabilities to gather their feedback. The information received through these surveys is carefully reviewed and considered to enhance the experience and service quality for passengers with disabilities. By incorporating this feedback, we are committed to making meaningful improvements that address their specific needs and preferences moving forward.  

In line with Transportation Service Providers (TSP) requirements, we provide detailed information about the feedback received through our process and demonstrate how it is utilized to improve our services. This approach ensures that insights from passengers with disabilities directly contribute to our efforts to enhance accessibility, comfort, and satisfaction. 

We are dedicated to engaging with customers, employees with disabilities, and community members to identify obstacles and develop solutions that address their specific needs. Continuous improvement is central to our strategy, and we are expanding our efforts to better understand and meet the needs of individuals with disabilities. 

Through May 2023 to July 2023 we consulted with the Icelandic Disability Organization.

Since the beginning of operation, in 2021, we've collaborated closely with Open Doors, a nonprofit organization specialized in the rights and service for individuals with disabilities. Drawing from their expertise, we have developed comprehensive training programs for all departments, incorporating invaluable recommendations from the Icelandic Disability Organization.  

They same go with Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program, we have been members of that program since we started operation in 2021, a globally recognized symbol for non-visible disabilities

As mentioned above, we have established an in-house workgroup that meets regularly to discuss and systematically implement improvements for a better customer experience. This group includes employees from different departments across the company. They will proactively contact and communicate with representative organizations specialized in the rights and service for individuals with disabilities. 

We actively consult with persons with disabilities through surveys, focus groups, and direct feedback mechanisms. This collaborative approach helps us gather valuable insights and make informed decisions to enhance accessibility and inclusivity in our services.