Alaska Airlines Canadian Accessibility Plan

Prepared and published in accordance with the applicable Accessible Canada Act and the Accessible Canada Regulations.

General

Feedback Process and Contact Information

Feedback from stakeholders, including the disability community and our guests, is a key element of our Accessibility Plan. We encourage and welcome your feedback regarding our plan, our feedback process, our progress reports, and any challenges you face. Your feedback will be considered by our Customer Advocacy and Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) teams during the development of progress reports and subsequent revisions to the Accessibility Plan.

All you need to do is share your feedback through any of the following channels below. This feedback will be incorporated into our plan and progress reports.

Feedback Channels

To request a copy of Alaska Airlines Accessibility Plan or request an alternate format, please contact the Director of Customer Advocacy. You can expect to receive the alternative format as follows.

• Print, in 14 point font, and electronic formats within 15 days of the request.
• Braille or audio formats within 45 days of the request.

Mailing address:
Alaska Airlines—Attention Michelle Minor, Director of Customer Advocacy
PO Box 68900—SEACA
Seattle, WA 98168-0900

To share accessibility related feedback or complaints, our preferred method of receiving your feedback is via phone, email or letter:

For all our contact information please click on the link below:

Phone: Customer Care 1-800-654-5669

Email Address: aagastuteas@alaskaair.com

Mailing address:
Alaska Airlines—Attention Michelle Minor, Director of Customer Advocacy
PO Box 68900—SEACA
Seattle, WA 98168-0900

For electronic submittals, your feedback will be acknowledged with a message of receipt within 24 hours. A detailed response will be provided within 30 days.

Anonymous feedback will not receive a verification of receipt although all feedback will be considered when creating the status update reports and revisions to the plan.

We also accept other forms/channels of feedback as well in accordance with the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations (ATPPR)

About Alaska Airlines

Alaska Airlines is the 5th largest North American carrier (by fleet size) serving over one hundred destinations in the United States, Belize, Canada, Costa Rica, and Mexico. Alaska Airlines is a U.S. based carrier and is a member of oneworld®, the third largest airline alliance in the world. As of 2022, Alaska employs over 20,000 people.

Purpose

The purpose of the Accessible Canada Act (the Act) is to create a barrier-free Canada, through the proactive identification, removal, and prevention of barriers to accessibility. To further our commitment to our guests and employees, and to work towards achieving the goal of the Accessible Canada Act, we created this Accessibility Plan. We consulted with disability organizations, air travelers with disabilities, employees, our external disability advisory board, Alaska's DEI Disability Office, and queried Alaska's digital channels to ensure that our Accessibility Plan meets the letter and spirit of the Accessible Canada Act. We also are committed to collaborate with and supporting CTA and ATTPR-related efforts initiated by the airports we serve in Canada.

Plan contents

Our Accessibility Plan outlines accessibility and inclusion accomplishments to date and the actions Alaska Airlines intends to take between 2023 and 2025.

We will identify, remove, and prevent barriers in the following areas:

• Employment
• The built environment
• Information and communication technologies; communication
• Communication, other than information and communication technologies
• The procurement of goods, services, and facilities; and
• The design and delivery of programs and services

Accessibility statement

Alaska Airlines' DNA reflects a commitment to ensuring all guests, including guests with disabilities, have remarkable travel experiences. Our training, programs, and services reflect our commitment by ensuring that all guests with disabilities are treated with dignity and respect. These are not simply words: we back this up via our CEO Accessibility Pledge, our participation in Disability:IN, and our 200+ employee/members of our ACCESS Business Resource Group. In 2023, we launched the Alaska Airlines Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Disability Office that acts as consultants, advisors, and educators on all things related to disability inclusion across the organization.

Regarding employment

Alaska strives to become a leader in accessible employment. Individuals with various disabilities account for more than 7% of our employee base as of 2023, and improvements to the recruiting and hiring process, the reduction of physical and cognitive barriers in the workplace, and greater outreach—including working with nonprofit organizations that have supported employment programs—will help Alaska to continue to grow.

Areas described under section 5 of the Accessible Canada Act (ACA).

Per the Accessibility Plan requirements, Alaska has included a heading for each of the following required areas. We also included the barriers to accessibility we identified through our feedback channels, and our intended actions to remove those barriers.

Employment

1. Barrier: Jobs portal on Alaskaair.com needed accessibility updates.
   Actions taken: Hiring portal revamped recently and a new iteration is scheduled for release in 2023.
2. Barrier: American Sign Language (ASL) requests for interviews was cumbersome.
   Actions taken: In 2022, a new contractor was selected.
3. Barrier: Company-wide Cultural Bias training opportunity identified.
   Actions taken: Company-wide Unconscious Bias Training rolled out in 2022.
   Actions taken: Alaska Airlines established a Disability Office within the DEI group that focuses on building community relationships, advocating and consulting for improvements to guest and employee spaces, and creating customized learning workshops related to disability awareness and inclusion.
4. Barrier: Ensuring our facilities are fully accessible to increase recruitment/hiring goals.
   Actions taken: An accessible facilities playbook related to the hiring, supporting, and retention of persons with disabilities will be completed in late 2023 in partnership with Open Doors Organization.
   Actions planned 2023–25: Company-wide disability awareness/inclusion training will roll out to further our accessible and inclusive culture for individuals with physical and cognitive disabilities.

The built environment (buildings and public spaces)

This area includes Alaska Airlines aircraft, owned/leased facilities, ticket counters, boarding gates, jetways, ramps/lifts, ground support equipment gates, ticket counters.

1. Barrier: Our facilities meet accessibility standards but may not exceed them.
   Actions taken: In partnership with Open Doors Organization, Alaska Airlines has been developing an “Accessible Facilities Playbook,” focused on universal design and going beyond the requirements of the law. This playbook will be released to Alaska Airlines Corporate Real Estate in late 2023, with the goal of increasing hiring and retention of individuals with disabilities.

Information and communication technologies

This area includes Alaska Airlines' website (including booking path), mobile apps, proactive email communications, text communications, gate and flight information displays at the airport, guest communication related emails and web chats.

1. Barrier: Our website could have been more accessible for individuals with disabilities.
   Actions taken: Our website was revamped to meet WCAG 2.0 standards in 2016, in accordance with the U.S. Department of Transportation regulations.
2. Barrier: Our mobile apps did not allow guests to request disability-related special services.
   Actions taken: The Special Services Request process was modified to accept special services in 2022, be more intuitive and require fewer clicks to navigate.
3. Barrier: The process for guests to select special services via the website and our mobile app was cumbersome and did not help to ensure we provided the services requested.
   Actions planned 2023–25: We intend to simplify and streamline the special services request flow by making it easier for guests to select and receive the correct services.

Communication, other than information and communication technologies

This area includes communications with our Guest Care/Reservations teams, Inflight and airport staff.

1. Barrier: Guests shared that we have an opportunity to improve communications onboard flights with individuals who are deaf/hard of hearing.
   Actions planned 2023–25: In 2022, we established an option for Alaska's flight attendants to receive a series of basic American Sign Language (ASL) phrases that are specific signs to better assist our onboard guests who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Graduates of this training receive a name bar (pin) stating “I SIGN” to wear on their uniforms. In 2023, we are expanding this program to customer service agents system-wide. This is an ongoing training program available to our employees.
2. Barrier: We identified an opportunity to better prepare guests with young families, unaccompanied minors, and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, for air travel.
   Actions taken: We created an app called Fly for All, designed for first-time flyers, guests traveling with children, unaccompanied minors and those with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism, to help ease the anxiety of air travel by walking guests through the steps they'll follow when getting ready to fly and during their travels. For more information, please click here "This indicates a link to an external site that may not meet accessibility guidelines.".

The procurement of goods, services, and facilities

This area includes Alaska Airlines' philosophy on ensuring diversity is included in our practices related to the procurement of goods (including aircraft and lifts), services, and facilities.

1. Barrier: Alaska identified an opportunity to improve upon its supplier diversity program goals.
   Actions taken: In 2022, Alaska enhanced its supplier diversity program to include a percentage of allocations spent on goods and services for disability owned businesses.

The design and delivery of programs and services

This area includes the delivery of all disability related special services, assistance on/off the aircraft and within the airport, handling of mobility devices, the acceptance of service animals, and other disability related services.

1. Barrier: We identified an opportunity to improve timely assistance to our guests with disabilities to/from and within the airport (including wheelchair services).
   Actions taken: In 2023, we implemented a Business Partner Training Checklist to ensure consistency and set clear expectations for our contractors who provide assistance to our guests with disabilities.
2. Barrier: Aircraft cargo compartment door size constraints can lead to damage of larger mobility devices.
   Actions taken: Alaska's DEI Disability Office began working with Boeing in 2023 to identify opportunities to modify equipment or processes.
   Actions planned 2023–25: This work will continue in 2023–25.
3. Barrier: We identified an opportunity to improve consistency in the acceptance of service animal documentation and make the process for the service animal form submittal easier for the traveler.
   Actions taken: In January 2021, we partnered with Open Doors Organization, as their launch customer, for their product called Service Animal Travel Solutions (SATS). SATS enables guests to submit service animal forms for approval. The guest receives a unique service animal ID # which can be used, along with flight(s) number and confirmation code, to easily submit future travel requests.
4. Barrier: We identified an opportunity to improve the guest experience for travelers with disabilities seeking help from Alaska team members via improved training.
   Actions planned 2023–25: We are rolling out a new enhanced training curriculum, in partnership with Open Doors Organization, for designated airport and contact center staff, who are called Complaints Resolution Officials (CRO's).
5. Barrier: Damage to mobility devices.
   Actions taken: In 2022, Alaska assigned a project team to investigate the root cause of damage to mobility aids and recommend actions. This team identified the following opportunities which we intend to evaluate and consider for implementation 2023–25.
1. Update AlaskaAir.com to make the site easier to navigate for non-ambulatory guests and to gather sufficient guest mobility device information to properly transport and store devices.
2. Partner with Open Doors Organization to provide specialized training to our Customer Service and Ramp Agents on the handling of mobility devices.
3. Investigate feasibility of installing, in the cargo compartment of each of our aircraft, at least one tie-down/strap bag containing two storage straps, which will be used to stow and secure mobility aids in the cargo pit.
4. Mechanical lifts have proven to be helpful in reducing injuries to employees and damage to mobility aids when loading/unloading on our aircraft. However, these devices were not readily available at all airports we serve.
   Actions Planned 2023–25: Alaska has initiated the procurement of additional mechanical lift devices used for safely lifting mobility devices from ramp level on/off Alaska belt loaders, with the goal of having devices at every Canadian airport we serve by 2025.
6. Barrier: Air travel anxiety for neurodiverse travelers, families with young children, unaccompanied minors, and individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including autism.
   We identified an opportunity to help families and individuals with an IDD prepare for and have seamless, inclusive travel experiences.
   Actions taken: In 2019 we created an app called Fly for All to help break down the barrier identified. Information about the Fly for All app can be found on alaskaair.com.
   Actions taken: In 2023 we re-instituted our experiential autism practice flights at participating airports, and in partnership with autism organizations. (These events had been cancelled in 2020 due to Covid-19.) We are also mentoring and guiding a group of graduate students from the University of Washington, in partnership with Teague, who are developing an airline employee workshop program for persons with disabilities and an emphasis on neurodiversity.

Provisions of CTA Accessibility-Related Regulations

Alaska Airlines is subject to applicable sections of Part 2, Service Requirements Applicable to Carriers, of the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations (ATPDR,SOR/2019-244).

Transportation Service Providers (TSPs) are encouraged to use this section of their accessibility plan as an opportunity to explain what they are doing to comply with, or exceed, their accessibility-related requirements.

The regulations that the CTA has made under ss. 170(1) of the Act are:

1. Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations (ATPDR) "This indicates a link to an external site that may not follow the same accessibility or privacy policies as Alaska Airlines. By selecting a partner link you agree to share your data with these sites."—for large TSPs
2. Air Transportation Regulations, Part VII "This indicates a link to an external site that may not follow the same accessibility or privacy policies as Alaska Airlines. By selecting a partner link you agree to share your data with these sites."—for air carriers not captured under the ATPDR
3. Personnel Training for the Assistance of Persons with Disabilities Regulations "This indicates a link to an external site that may not follow the same accessibility or privacy policies as Alaska Airlines. By selecting a partner link you agree to share your data with these sites."—for all TSPs not captured under the ATPDR

Consultations with people with disabilities

As part of our overall commitment to being an industry leader in accessibility and inclusion, and in the development of this Plan, we conducted a series of consultations with disability organizations, our External Disability Advisory Board, individuals with disabilities, and Alaska's DEI disability office. The consultations helped us identify existing barriers and prioritize actions to remove and prevent barriers based on participants' feedback. We have incorporated feedback from these consultations in our Plan.

Alaska's External Disability Advisory Board

As part of our collaboration process with the disability community, we reached out to the Alaska Airlines External Disability Advisory Board during the initial development of our plan for input. We followed up with the Board in April 2023 to share the contents of the revised plan and incorporated their feedback into the plan. We then followed up in person with the Board members on May 2, 2023, to further solicit input prior to finalizing the Plan. Alaska's Disability Advisory Board includes individuals representing differing disabilities and the following organizational representation: Open Doors Organization, The Here and Now Project, Guide Dogs for the Blind, Infiniteach (an organization that develops technology to make our world more accessible for the autistic community) and representation from the deaf/hard of hearing community. We have incorporated feedback from these individuals and organizations into our Accessibility Plan.

Alaska Airlines Digital Channels

We utilized Alaska social media channels (i.e. Twitter, Facebook, Instagram) to aid in identifying barriers to accessibility and inclusion. On April 14, 2023, our Social Team generated a report to identify feedback areas and trends related to accessibility. Query period: April 2022 through April 2023. We incorporated this feedback into our Accessibility Plan.

Guest Feedback

We collected accessibility feedback (phone calls, letters, and emails) from guests traveling to/from Canada in 2022 and incorporated this feedback into our Accessibility Plan.

Customer Service Agent Survey

In April 2023, we surveyed our Canadian-based Customer Service Agents who routinely assist guests with disabilities, requesting their feedback regarding barriers to accessibility. We incorporated this feedback into our Accessibility Plan.

Training

We recognize the importance of training and refresher training to ensure all of our guests have remarkable travel experiences, including guests with disabilities.

Diversity and Inclusion training is provided to all employees, whereas accessibility training is tailored to specific work groups based on the tasks and services they provide to our guests with disabilities.

We are working on developing enhanced training focused on disability awareness and inclusion. The content of the training will increase with each career step and will focus on etiquette, vocabulary, accommodation requests, reducing bias, and supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including autism.

Our contact center staff receive initial accessibility training/recurrent training tailored primarily to the ticketing/booking/re-accommodation process, and ensuring special services (i.e., wheelchair assistance or service animal documentation) are properly requested and added to reservations.

Our Customer Service Agents receive initial/recurrent accessibility training tailored to airport operations, including delivery of requested special services noted above.

Our Ramp Service Teams receive initial/recurrent training, with an emphasis on etiquette and delivery of requested special services, including safe loading/securing of mobility aids.

Our Inflight Staff receive initial/recurrent accessibility training to ensure an inclusive onboard experience, including etiquette, safety related duties, delivery of requested special services, seating accommodations, and utilization of our onboard wheelchairs.

Our business partners are part of Alaska's guest experience, and they play a significant role in providing requested disability-related assistance and services. In that spirit, we created a Business Partner checklist to enhance their training and ensure Alaska Airlines' commitment to accessibility is met.