DRAFT SUMMARY RECORD: MEETING 13
Date: / Wednesday 21 November 2012Venue: / Qantas Meeting Rooms, Terminal 3, Sydney Airport
Time: / 9:30am – 12:10pm
Attendees: / Physical Disability Australia
Deafness Forum of Australia
Paraquad
Qantas
Jetstar
Virgin Australia (by phone)
Tiger Airways
Regional Express
Board of Airline Representatives of Australia (BARA)
Australian Airports Association (AAA)
Regional Aviation Association of Australia
Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA)
Department of Families, Housing, Community Services and Indigenous Affairs (FaHCSIA)
Department of Infrastructure and Transport (DOIT)
Apologies: / Australian Human Rights Commission (AHRC)
National Disability Services
Australian Federation of Disability Organisations (AFDO)
Secretariat: / DOIT
1. Welcome
The Chair noted there had been several changes in representation and welcomed new representatives. The Chair advised that Ms Shiela King will be replaced by Ms Cheryl Pascual as the Australian Federation of Disability Organisation representative and recorded appreciation for Ms King’s contribution to AAWG.
2(a). Agreement of the record of outcomes of the previous meeting
Members accepted the record of outcomes from the previous meeting of 17 April 2012.
2(b). Report on action items arising from the previous meeting
In relation to Action Item 1/12 DOIT advised that the AAWG page on the Department’s website has been updated. Members were encouraged to review the webpage and DOIT would welcome any further suggestions for improvement.
ACTION 1/13: AAWG members to review the AAWG web page http://www.infrastructure.gov.au/aviation/aawg/index.aspx and provide any suggestions for improvements to DOIT.
In relation to Action Item 4/12 DOIT thanked AAWG members for providing further comments on the guidance material on the carriage of mobility aids. The guidance material was published on the AAWG website on 30 May 2012. Members were encouraged to forward any feedback on this material to AAWG to enable continual review and improvement of the material.
The remaining Action Items were discussed under the relevant agenda items.
Paraquad raised an additional item from the previous meeting regarding the provision of manually operated wheelchairs by airlines at the gates.
It was acknowledged that the prime aspiration is for the passenger to keep their own wheelchair or scooter as long as possible prior to embarking on and soon as possible after disembarking from the aircraft.
Paraquad requested an update on airlines current practices in relation to the provision of manually operated wheelchairs. It was noted that this information is documented in airline DAFPs.
ACTION 2/13: DOIT prepare an information paper for AAWG on current airline practices in relation to access to personal wheelchairs at the gate including:
· when passengers with disability are required to surrender their wheelchair or scooter and when are these are returned; and
· access to self-powered wheelchairs at transit points.
An associated issue raised was a decision by some airports (Sydney and Melbourne) to remove moving walkways (travelator) at some terminals. Members from disability groups and airlines expressed concern about the impact of this decision on the travelling public.
ACTION 3/13: The Australian Airports Association to enquire as to the rationale behind the decision by some airports to remove movable walkways.
Virgin advised they have engaged a consultant to undertake a comprehensive disability review of their services, due to be completed and provided to the Board for consideration by the end of November 2012.
Virgin agreed to provide a report to the next AAWG meeting on key messages and actions being undertaken from the review of interest to AAWG.
ACTION 4/13: Virgin to provide a presentation at the April 2013 meeting on the findings and implementation of recommendations from their disability services review.
3. Revision of Australian Standard AS/NZ 3695 (Wheelchair – Product Requirements) – presentation by Standards Australia.
Dr Lloyd Walker, Chair of the Standards Australia ME-067 Committee (Assistive Technologies for People with Disabilities) provided a presentation on the current review of the AS/NZ3695.
Dr Walker advised that the revised standards will focus on performance and minimum requirements and will aim to harmonise with international standards such as ISO and European standards, where possible. However, one notable difference will be in relation to batteries, where it is proposed that the Australian requirement will be for non spillable batteries, whereas in Europe the standard is that batteries must be contained.
It was advised that AS/NZ3695.2 which covers powered wheelchairs (including scooters) up to 15km/h speed, should be released for public comment on the Standards Australian web site in the next few weeks. It was noted that the focus has been on increased consistency across the world, more reliable information on dimensions and safety improvements such as controller/charger protection.
Dr Walker also advised that consideration was being given to the standards including an appendix on relevant transport constraints such as airplane dimensions, including information such as maximum total and single component mass.
Dr Walker advised that a Regional Transport Symposium will be held in Townsville 15-16April 2013 to examine carriage of mobility aids on smaller aircraft. The Regional Aviation Association undertook to follow up participation in the Symposium with Dr Walker.
AAWG members noted that there is an opportunity to provide comments on the draft Australian Standards and to also work with Standards Australia in relation to the development of an appendix to the standards providing information on requirements for air transport, which would assist consumers in making an informed decision when purchasing a mobility aid.
ACTION 5/13: Regional Airlines Association to provide contact information of organisations which could be invited to participate if the Regional Transport Symposium.
AAWG Secretariat to liaise with Mr Lloyd to facilitate engagement between the work of the ME-067 and the AAWG.
4. Kerbside assistance – discussion paper
DOIT introduced the paper prepared in consultation with a subgroup of members in response to AAWG’s request at the previous meeting examining options for services to be provided from kerbside to check in and from baggage collection to kerbside.
Whilst noting the options presented in the paper, a further potential option (option C) was identified at the meeting, that is, whether there is greater scope for taxi or hire car operators to provide assistance. The option would involve drivers parking at the front of the terminal and assisting carrying bags into the terminal. Issues to be considered include ensuring there is an accessible parking area at the front of the terminal for vehicles (tax, hire care or private vehicles) and that security will allow drivers to leave the vehicles to assist passengers and their baggage into the terminal.
In the meantime, existing arrangements documented in Disability Access Facilitation Plans will continue, with disability groups encouraged to provide feedback on how these could be improved.
ACTION 6/13: DOIT to prepare a paper on the viability of, accessible stopping zones that will promote the ability of drivers of taxis, hire cars or private vehicles to park and assist disabled passengers to check in.
5. Carriage of Assistance Animals on Aircraft – Draft Civil Aviation Safety Regulation.
Ms Sue Rice introduced Mr William Tootell who will be CASA’s representative at future meetings. AAWG thanked Ms Rice for her contribution to AAWG.
CASA advised that a revised draft of the proposed new Civil Aviation Safety Regulation Part91, including on the proposed provisions about carriage of assistance animals was currently being developed for further agency comment.
CASA advised that it has standardised the permission instruments currently issued to airlines and intends to make the permission instruments and a question and answer sheet for the travelling public available on the CASA website. AAWG agreed that a link should be made between the AAWG website and the information on CASA’s website regarding carriage of assistance animals. The availability of the permission and questions and answer sheet would assist in providing clarity to current arrangements. CASA undertook to provide a first draft of the questions and answer to AAWG for review/comment before it is placed on CASA website.
It was noted that a number of issues have been raised with the carriage of assistance dogs, including owner trained assistance dogs. This is an area where further clarity is required.
Airline representatives expressed the view that the regulatory arrangements should provide certainty for the airline operators as to what was acceptable in terms of the carriage of assistance animals. Qantas expressed concern that the current permission state that “an approved organisation means an assistance dog training organisation which is accepted by the operators and is accredited by an animal training organisation prescribed by the Disability Discrimination Act 1992(DDA) – Section 9”, however to date no list has been prescribed under the DDA.
Members noted that whilst the objective is to have a set of clear criteria for carriage of assistance animals, the standards must be appropriate for what the Disability Discrimination Act envisages in terms of reasonable access or equivalent access.
ACTION 7/13: CASA to circulate to AAWG members for comment:
· the draft regulation (and guidance material); and
· the question and answer sheet.
CASA to provide to AAWG the permission instruments and the question and answer sheet regarding the carriage of assistance animals on its website
DOIT provide a link from the AAWG website to the information on CASA’s website relating to the carriage of assistance animals
6 Disability Access Facilitation Plans (DAFPs)
Members noted that plans are now in place for all of the major domestic airlines, however only a few international airlines have completed plans.
BARA advised that international airlines had been encouraged to actively participate in the DAFP initiative and that airlines operating out of the United States and Europe should already have applicable access policies.
Members agreed for the Chair, on behalf of AAWG to write to key international airlines encouraging participation. BARA and Virgin undertook to provide contact information for the international airlines.
In relation to airports, AAA advised that DAFP are discussed at divisional meetings across all states and a survey will be undertaken in February 2013 which should identify any plans that are not included in the list on the AAWG website.
Members noted the importance of regularly reviewing and updating plans to ensure they are continue to reflect current practices.
ACTION 8/13: Chair, on behalf of AAWG write to international airlines encouraging participation in the DFAP initiative.
BARA and Virgin to provide DOIT with the appropriate contact details for international airlines.
7. ICAO Persons with Disability Working Group
DOIT advised that the Working Group’s documents were well received at the ICAO Facilitation Panel meeting and final versions of the Standards and Recommended Practices and Manual of Accessible Air Transportation will be circulated to AAWG when they become available.
8a. Review of Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport
DOIT advised that 2012 Review of the Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport is underway and that members will have the opportunity to participate in the review.
DOIT advised that the Australian Government has released draft legislation, the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012, consolidating the five exiting Commonwealth anti-discrimination acts (Sex, Race, Disability, Age Discrimination and Australian Human Rights Commission Act) into a single comprehensive law. Information on the proposed Bill is available on the Attorney General Department’s website.
The Chair offered to invite presentations for the next meeting from:
· Marcus James, Road Safety and Transport Access, Surface Transport Policy, DOIT on the Review of the Disability Standards; and
· Attorney General’s Department on the Human Rights and Anti-Discrimination Bill 2012
8b. Accessible Public Transport National Advisory Committee (APTNAC) – Emergency Management Working Group
AAWG noted the progress report.
8c. Accessible Public Toilets at Airports
DOIT advised that the Minister for Infrastructure and Transport had received correspondence requesting that accessible toilets at airports be non-gender specific, rather than male and female as there are cases where the carer may be of the other gender. This issue will be considered under the Disability (Access to Premises – Buildings) Standards.
9. Other Business
A number of suggestions were raised by the Deafness Forum of Australia to assist people with hearing impairments:
· captioning the video pre-flight safety messages on aircraft;
· tweeting important audio announcements made through the airports with hash tag, so those passengers who use twitter may check their phone for audio announcements that come through on twitter; and
· captioning in-flight entertainment videos.
Due to time constraints it was agreed that these suggestions be considered by AAWG members out of session, with members providing feedback for the next meeting on current practices and what can be achieved in these areas.
Action: 9/13 At the next AAWG meeting Airlines and the AAA to provide information on current practices and what actions can be taken in relation to captioning video pre-flight safety messages and inflight entertainment and providing important audio messages at the airport by twitter.
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