Air and train travel

Accessible and inclusive air and train travel

Transportation is considered accessible and inclusive when each step of the journey is predictable, safe and barrier-free. Services must be designed to meet the needs of all individuals, regardless of their abilities.

The particularities of air and rail transportation

Air and rail transportation, as well as buses, subways or paratransit, are forms of public transportation. However, they are distinguished by their use primarily for long-distance travel, particularly across large geographic areas such as Québec or Canada.

All modes of public transit have challenges related to the accessibility of infrastructure, vehicles, information and assistance. However, long-distance travel presents additional challenges due to its length and possible border crossings. These challenges include:

Baggage management
Reservations
Boarding and disembarkation procedures
Access to adapted toilets or to food
Intermodality, where passengers find themselves in unknown places

The division of responsibilities among the different levels of government in Canada means that accessibility is not always the same between regions. Moreover, the international nature of the standards that govern these industries makes it difficult to implement changes. To ensure true accessibility in air and rail transportation, strong leadership from the authorities is essential. Effective coordination among levels of government and a proactive approach are crucial to overcoming barriers and improving these modes of transportation.

Overview of the situation

Despite strict federal regulations, nearly two-thirds of the 2.2 million persons with disabilities who traveled in 2019 and 2020 encountered barriers on planes and trains. Although consultations were held, the Auditor General of Canada’s report highlights several issues, including a lack of staff training, inadequate complaint management and digital accessibility challenges. The shortcomings do not concern the specific obligations or action plans, but rather their implementation.

On the aviation side, the issues are particularly concerning. The media frequently report incidents involving broken or forgotten mobility aids, as well as cases of mistreatment, especially during boarding procedures. The situation has become so critical that a National Air Accessibility Summit was held in 2024 to address these issues.

In terms of domestic travel in Québec, airlines and railways are subject to much less stringent obligations than at the federal level. This lack of a rigorous framework results in accessibility gaps that make it difficult for persons with disabilities to travel, even on recently commissioned services. EXO commuter trains, especially on the Montréal-Mascouche lines , as well as the Réseau Express Métropolitain(REM), are good examples where the needs of persons with disabilities have been neglected. These findings highlight the urgency of concerted action to improve accessibility and ensure inclusive and respectful travel experiences for all.

Standards and obligations

There are regulatory frameworks to guide organizations towards more inclusive practices. Some are mandatory, while others encourage organizations to go further.

Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations (ATPDR)

Transit standards in Ontario and Manitoba

Act to secure handicapped persons in the exercise of their rights with a view to achieving social, school and workplace integration(E-20.1)

Good practices to strengthen the air and rail transportation component of your action plan

Harmonizing practices across the different territories and modes of transportation is essential to guarantee an accessible transportation chain. Here are some concrete measures to incorporate into your action plans. Strategies are divided between service providers and provincial authorities. Other fact sheets in this guide should also be consulted, such as those covering evacuation, communication or customer service measures.

Recommended practices for service providers

Acting on the entire travel chain

- Adopting voluntary standards: For providers not subject to legal obligations, voluntarily aligning practices with standards such as those of the ATPDR or of Ontario or Manitoba.
- Auditing the stages of the customer journey: Identifying gaps at each stage (information, purchasing, boarding, customs). Société Logique’s Guide pratique pour l’élaboration et la mise en œuvre d’un plan de développement [Practical guide for preparing and implementing a development plan] provides a detailed methodology for transit authorities.

Carrying out exploratory walks: Collaborating with travellers with disabilities to assess existing infrastructure and vehicles.
Establishing service standards: Documenting and communicating clear procedures for boarding and disembarking persons with disabilities.

Making the experience predictable and safe

Informing users on accessibility: Publishing clear information on network accessibility and adapted services on your website. Any incidents or breakdowns should be mentioned.
- For example, the Accessible travel section on Air Canada’s website describes aircraft features, while the SNCF uses plain language and pictograms to effectively present its adapted services.

Designing visual aids: Facilitating understanding of the various stages of the journey via emergency measure videos, guides or specialized tools:
- Taking a trip in VIA Rail’s Accessible Train Cars.
- The series Take Charge of Your Travel: A Guide for Travellers with Disabilities produced by the Canadian Transportation Agency
- The visual guide Prendre l’avion [Taking the plane] by Autism Little Learners and Air Transat.

Encouraging innovation in accessibility

Collecting disaggregated data: Measuring the impact of the programs on passengers with disabilities.
Creating an exchange network: Establishing cross-organizational partnerships to share innovations and best practices.
Testing new technologies: Incorporating usability testing to anticipate needs and gaps.
Proactive monitoring: Monitoring regulatory and technological developments to ensure projects align with emerging issues. Here are some concrete examples:
- The new Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) measures proposed by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) aim to respond to the finding that more than 1.38% mobility aids are damaged during journeys.
- The requirement for accessible toilets in new single-aisle planes, planned for 2026 in the United States.
- The development of prototype seat designs allowing people in wheelchairs to remain in their wheelchair during the flight.
Conducting innovative pilot projects: Testing innovative systems to improve the experience for travellers with disabilities, such as:
- The Mon assistant visuel application, which transcribes the announcements made orally on board SNCF trains.
- The WHILL Autonomous Drive System, a motorized mobility aid capable of moving autonomously.
- Adapted baggage carts for use with a mobility aid.
- Spatial tracking solutions for blind people, such as Navilens for EXO or Aira for the Toronto-Pearson Airport.
Developing targeted and inclusive programs: Proposing initiatives that meet the specific needs of a diverse clientele:
- The Sunflower program by Montréal Airport, which allows travellers with non-visible limitations to discreetly signal their accommodation needs.
- The ARTM’s Mobilité inclusive program, which helps persons with disabilities learn how to use the regular network.
- The Premium Kids program deployed by Aéroports de Montréal and its partners to familiarize children with the various airport processes.
- Air Canada’s buffer zone aims to reduce the presence of allergens around people with severe allergies.

Developing actions in collaboration with a multitude of partners and service providers

Engaging complementary service providers: Designing specific projects or components to involve nearby businesses, the local transport network and taxi services. The aim is to ensure optimum fluidity in the journey.
- For example, in 2022, Aéroports de Montréal introduced a category of adapted taxis to its permit system.
Strengthening partnerships to clarify accessibility responsibilities: Implementing initiatives that clearly define the chain of responsibilities, whether for travel or site accessibility. Railway crossings and multi-modal travel are good examples of this approach.
Promoting inclusion among partners: Adopting a policy to reserve at least one position for a person with a disability or a representative association in partner bodies.
- For example, Aéroports de Montréal’s Community Advisory Committee already applies this practice.
Complying with legal requirements regarding representation: The Act respecting public transit authorities (S-30.01) requires a paratransit user to sit on the board of directors of the transport companies concerned (section 83).

Recommended practices for provincial authorities

Available resources

Subsidies

The Ministry of Transport and Sustainable Mobility offers several subsides related to air and rail transportation and for the rail transportation of transit companies. Municipalities may also benefit from a level crossing development subsidy.

Documents

The Accessible transportation section, Canadian Transportation Agency.
Improving Transport Accessibility for All: Guide to Good Practice, European Conference of Ministers of Transport.
Examples of design and safety features to improve railway crossings, Transportation Safety Board of Canada.
Accessibilité des traversées piétonnes aux passages à niveau [Pedestrian crossing accessibility at level crossings], Cerema publications.

Fact sheet prepared in collaboration with Julie-Anne Perrault, universal accessibility consultant, with feedback from Kéroul, and Mohamed Reda Khomsi (ESG UQAM).