Monroe County has launched a new pilot program to make air travel more accessible for the deaf and hard of hearing.
Visitors to the Fredrick Douglass Greater Rochester International Airport can now access the AIRA ASL smartphone app free of charge.
The app allows deaf and hard-of-hearing users to communicate in real time with employees of the airport at key points of travel, including check-in, TSA screening, and dining areas.
“Besides our ongoing renovations, ROC is focused on improving customer service and accessibility for our employees, visitors and passengers,” said Andy Moore, airport director.
AIRA ASL provides access to round-the-clock ASL interpreters. The company said the app was developed with the deaf community, which consisted of over 30 deaf testers assisting with design and giving feedback. Officials say the app will prove more beneficial during stressful travel moments, like flight delays and cancellations.
“For our deaf and hard of hearing community, these everyday challenges can become serious obstacles. Not just inconvenient, but it's isolating. It's often inequitable,” said Monroe County Executive Adam Bello.
More than 40,000 people in the Greater Rochester area are deaf or hard of hearing, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Charles McFadden, executive director of pre-college programs at RIT’s National Technical Institute for the Deaf, said the AIR ASL app will not only make a difference in travel but also change how travelers view Rochester as a whole.
“Every action taken to make our airport more accessible for all sends a powerful message--everyone is welcome here,” McFadden said.
This is the second collaboration between the airport and AIRA. The airport provides accessibility to blind and low-vision travelers with the AIRA Explorer app.
