As a result of their deliberations committees may make recommendations which they include in their reports for the consideration of the House of Commons or the Government. Recommendations related to this study are listed below.

Recommendation 1

That the Government of Canada officially recognize the overwhelming and systemic nature of inaccessibility for persons with disabilities in the Canadian air travel sector.

Recommendation 2

That the Government of Canada direct the Canadian Transportation Agency to require airports to establish easily-accessible check-in desks at their entrances that provide curbside assistance to air passengers with disabilities regardless of which air carriers they are using.

Recommendation 3

That the Government of Canada ensure airports and air carriers make their online content more accessible to passengers with disabilities.

Recommendation 4

That the Government of Canada require airports and air carriers to use various communication formats (sign language, braille, electronic, telephone, audio, signage, visual, paper, etc.) to reach passengers with disabilities.

Recommendation 5

That the Canadian Transportation Agency ensure that air carriers directly alert, via several accessibility means of communication throughout the booking and travel process, the services that they offer to persons with disabilities, announcements regarding health and safety, changes to flights, available dispute resolution services, and how to access those services.

Recommendation 6

That the Government of Canada direct the Canadian Transportation Agency to require air carriers and airports to (a) establish accessible hotlines by which passengers with disabilities can relay complaints, make requests, seek immediate help, and ask questions; and (b) submit to the regulator aggregated reports on issues passengers identify via such hotlines.

Recommendation 7

That the Government of Canada and the Canadian Transportation Agency develop standardized practices for the handling and storage of all types of accessibility devices and that air carriers be required to store and pack the accessibility devices of passengers with disabilities in a manner that prevents them from being damaged.

Recommendation 8

That the Government of Canada require air carriers to repair or replace, at their cost, any accessibility device that is lost or damaged, as soon as possible.

Recommendation 9

That, with regard to accessibility in commercial aircraft, Transport Canada develop standards for passengers with disabilities, such as

• that their wheelchairs be able to enter and be appropriately and safely positioned and locked in place for the duration of the trip;
• that washrooms be adapted to passengers with disabilities;
• that call buttons be within reach of passengers with disabilities;
• that braille signage be available on board; and
• that change tables be large enough to accommodate infants and toddlers.

Recommendation 10

That the Government of Canada direct the Canadian Transportation Agency to (a) establish working groups to identify physical barriers on aircraft and inform regulatory standards for aircraft design; (b) ensure these groups include representatives from air carriers, aircraft manufacturers, air carriers staff, accessibility device manufacturers, and persons with disabilities, including those who use accessibility devices; and (c) commit to making aircraft accessible by establishing clear plans to remove barriers identified by the working groups.

Recommendation 11

That the Government of Canada require that air carriers ensure trained employees help passengers with disabilities safely board, find their seat and move between their accessibility device and their seat.

Recommendation 12

That air carriers, specifically national air carriers that operate in Canada, train employees on accessibility needs on a regular basis, at least once in a 12- month period.

Recommendation 13

That the Government of Canada introduce an Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights, as exists in other jurisdictions such as the United States, to codify the rights and treatment due to persons with disabilities travelling by air in Canada.

Recommendation 14

That the Government of Canada hold true to its promise of “nothing about us without us” by engaging in meaningful consultation with persons with disabilities prior to developing legislation, regulations, guidelines or policies that affect persons with disabilities.

Recommendation 15

That the Government of Canada require all parties operating within the air travel sector, including air carriers, airports and CATSA, to regularly engage in meaningful consultation with a diverse panel of persons with disabilities to (i) identify, rectify and prevent barriers; and (ii) develop and implement improved employee and executive training programs.

Recommendation 16

That the Government of Canada develop standard requirements for the contents of accessibility plans created by all parties in the air travel sector, including air carriers, airports, and CATSA.

Recommendation 17

That the Government of Canada require airports to develop a consistent complaints reporting process, and require that complaints received via this process be reported to the Canadian Transportation Agency.

Recommendation 18

That the regulator develop a standardized and accessible complaints system specifically for accessibility-related complaints, separate from the existing complaints mechanism for all air passenger complaints. This system should ensure that when making a complaint, a passenger is able to reach a readily available contact who has knowledge of accessibility and human rights topics.

Recommendation 19

That the Government of Canada require that air carriers set up a complaint handling process that uses an easily accessible means of communication and that is managed by individuals who have received accessibility and human rights training.

Recommendation 20

That the Government of Canada require air carriers to report all complaints they receive to the Canadian Transportation Agency, in the same way air carriers operating in the United States are required to report complaints to the Federal Aviation Authority, and that an aggregated report of the data obtained from these reports be made available to the public.

Recommendation 21

That the Government of Canada require the public agency that regulates air carriers’ disability accessibility to periodically conduct unannounced inspections (including “secret shopper” audits) of the supports and services that air carriers provide to air passengers with disabilities, and make the results and findings thereof publicly available.

Recommendation 22

That the Canadian Transportation Agency strengthen its oversight of air service providers’ compliance with the requirements of the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations and that it impose deterrent monetary penalties in cases of non-compliance.

Recommendation 23

That the Government of Canada work toward the prohibition of requiring medical documentation to access accommodations, unless deemed necessary for safety purposes.