…similar problems where the text-only pages lag behind updates made to the primary website.

I now always attempt to use the primary version of a website first because the text-only version is not often updated in a timely manner or has broken links that go unfixed for long periods of time. I suspect that the problems with the text-only sites fall below the radar because of the small population of disabled users multiplied by the unwillingness of disabled persons to spend time voicing a complaint once they have already spent a large amount of time working with an inaccessible website interface. (In my experience, I once opted to patronize a different carrier instead of wasting further time filing a complaint against the offending carrier’s text-only website). Even considering the already relatively small size of the disability community, many members of that community likely use the primary site which detracts from the number of users who are testing and providing feedback on the text-only site. Further, the carrier’s investment of resources in establishing a under-used and under-maintained text-only version detracts from making the primary website fully accessible and fully integrated.

In general, I prefer to use the main version of a webpage. Most air carriers already make a good percentage of their primary pages accessible. It wouldn’t take much more work for carriers to ensure that the remaining portions that are not accessible come into compliance with the technical standards. Moreover, I will be better able to communicate with the carrier’s website tech support team or nondisabled fellow users of the website, who are usually more familiar with the primary version of the website.

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