YVR received highest certification for accessibility

Vancouver International Airport (British Columbia, Canada) - one of the largest and busiest in the country, in 2018 received a record 25 million passengers, and made another achievement. It became the first airport to earn gold in the Rick Hansen Foundation Accessibility Certification (RHFAC) program.

The Rick Hansen Foundation was created by a Canadian athlete and voyager who traveled around the world in a wheelchair. This organization works to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities, and annually makes a ranking of the most accessible cities, infrastructure facilities and companies.

“This year, YVR will welcome a record 25 million passengers and for us it’s very important that every one of these passengers has a seamless and comfortable airport experience,” said Craig Richmond, President & CEO, Vancouver Airport Authority. “Accessibility is one of our top priorities and is a key part of our success as a worldclass hub. Gold Certification from the Rick Hansen Foundation is a testament to our ongoing efforts to better serve our passengers, partners and communities—and is a milestone we are very proud of.”

To earn high marks - 93 out of 100 possible points, the airport did a great job of creating a barrier-free environment for both passengers and staff. Vancouver Airport provides a wide range of services for people with limited mobility, people with impaired vision or hearing, and elderly travelers:

• Universal food and service counters for people using wheeled mobility devices
• Low-resistance carpeting for easier movement and greater stability
• Textured terminal flooring to assist with wayfinding
• Curbside ramps and assistance
• Accessible parking in all lots with accessible bus service to long-term parking
• Universal seating throughout the terminal
• Universally accessible washrooms, equipped with an emergency call button
• Pet relief areas for individuals travelling with assistance animals
• Adaptive speakers throughout the terminal building
• Clearly marked signage and wayfinding
• Customer care staff trained in accessibility
• Low-mounted flight and gate information displays throughout the terminal
• Aircraft gates with dedicated wheelchair/equipment lifts to provide secure, direct loading of assistive devices into the aircraft
• Visual paging service located at Customer Care counters
• Check-in counters equipped with amplified handsets
• Visual fire alarms, located throughout the terminals including in washrooms
• Welcome messaging in sign language (ASL), featured on YVR monitors
• Terminal maps and flight information displays that follow Clear Print guidelines
• High contrast, glare-free signage

Rick Hansen, Founder and CEO of the Rick Hansen Foundation said: “I’ve watched YVR systematically make progress on accessibility over many decades. People with visible and invisible disabilities experience accessibility challenges every day and with record numbers of passengers traveling through Canada’s airports, it's critical that these spaces meet everyone's needs. I hope YVR and Craig’s leadership inspires other transport hubs around the world to take steps in becoming more accessible and inclusive for travelers of all ages and abilities.”