Comments on: Kiosks: Which? When?

By: Moderator

Moderator — Sun, 11 Dec 2011 19:49:22 +0000

Thanks for your comment, bigdaddy. Other commenters have raised a similar point that separation may be stigmatizing for people with disabilities. Can you tell us more about the universal approach you suggested?

By: BigDaddy

BigDaddy — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:18:40 +0000

All retro fits should be in compliance with the universal approach. In practice seperate is not equal.

By: BigDaddy

BigDaddy — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 21:17:31 +0000

All new kiosks should be based on universal principals, usibilty features and 508.

By: jbh249

jbh249 — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 14:47:31 +0000

Hi brianpeters, thank you for your comment. The DOJ has currently only provided ADA accessibility standards for automated teller and fare machines (ATMs, for example). Right now there is no accessibility standard for kiosk machines, either in airports or at non-airport locations. Check out Section 1 of the Kiosk Accessibility Standards post if you want to learn more.

By: jbh249

jbh249 — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 01:46:03 +0000

Thanks again for your comment, ntwales. DOT has included the benefits you mention (reduced airline staff assistance time) in its main discussion of the benefits and costs of making kiosks accessible. You can read more about what DOT says in section 3 of the Kiosk Benefits and Costs post.

By: Brian Peters

Brian Peters — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 17:12:58 +0000

If DoJ’s ADA regulations already apply to existing kiosks, DoT should simply enforce DoJ’s regs rather than making a different set of regs with different standards. Only exception is if there is something about the environment/procedures that makes current DoJ standards inadequedate.

By: ntwales

ntwales — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 22:27:20 +0000

Passengers with disabilities are often already able to use the priority/elite/premium class lines today (though this is probably on more of an ad hoc, charity basis and not as a matter of right). When 100% accessibility is achieved, it is indeed my hope that passengers with disabilities would be able to use every line–and the line most appropriate to their travel just as their non-disabled fellow customers.

By: jbh249

jbh249 — Sun, 04 Dec 2011 18:27:22 +0000

Thanks for your comment ntwales. Do you know if passengers with disabilities are already able to use the priority/elite/premium class lines today? When 100% accessibility is achieved, is it your hope that passengers with disabilities would be able to use every line?

By: ntwales

ntwales — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 03:34:28 +0000

DOT asks:
Should DOT require that carriers give priority kiosk access to travelers with disabilities? DOT worries that if travelers without disabilities can use accessible (as well as nonaccessible) kiosks, travelers with disabilities may wait longer than average because they need one of a limited number of machines. But reserving accessible kiosks for travelers with disabilities, or giving them priority access, could segregate and stigmatize them. What is the best resolution of this dilemma?
My response:
The best resolution would be to roll out accessible kiosks in the lines reserved for priority/elite/premium class passengers. This would best reduce disabled users’ wait times (since airlines work to make these lines short), are in a location identifiable in another way, and will… more »

…ensure that disabled priority/elite/premium class passengers have access to accessible kiosks. While this will stigmatize some disabled passengers, it seems the best interim solution until the goal of 100% accessibility is achieved.
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By: ntwales

ntwales — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 03:16:06 +0000

DOT should not include non-airport kiosks because some of them will have to meet both DOT accessibility standards and DOJ ADA standards anyway. This having to meet two sets of regulations, intended to achieve the same goal, is a true example of inappropriate overreach and bureaucracy which will frustrate the cause of accessibility. Alternatively, DOT and DOJ should determine which standard will apply.