Civil Aviation Department Hong Kong

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????? Civil Aviation Department Hong Kong
Presentation on Accessibility of Persons with
Disabilities in Air Transport for 12th
International Conference on Mobility and
Transport for Elderly and Disabled Persons
(TRANSED 2010) 2 to 4 June 2010, Hong
Kong by Mr. Simon Chean, Senior Safety Officer
(Flight Safety), Flight Standards and
Airworthiness Division, Civil Aviation Department
Hong Kong
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Accessibility of Persons with Disabilities in Air
Transport

• Objective
• To share information on what have been provided
  by airlines of Hong Kong for the safe transport
  of elderly and passengers with disabilities.

• Discussion Areas
• Regulatory requirements for airlines of Hong
  Kong
• Handling procedures and operational
  considerations of airlines of Hong Kong
• Real-life examples and
• Other relevant information.

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(1) Regulatory Requirements for Airlines of Hong
Kong
International Requirements International Civil
Aviation Convention Annex 9 - Facilitation
General Principles Persons with disabilities
should- (i) have adequate access to air
services (ii) be provided with special
assistance in order that they receive services
customarily available to the general public.
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(1) Regulatory Requirements for Airlines of Hong
Kong
Recommended Practices of International Civil
Aviation Organization (ICAO)
(i) Aircraft coming newly into service should
conform to minimum uniform standards of
accessibility with respect to equipment on board
aircraft (e.g. include movable armrest, on-board
wheelchairs, lavatories and suitable lighting and
signs)

1. Wheelchairs, special apparatus and equipment
   required by persons with disabilities should be
   carried free of charge in the cabin

(iii) In principle, persons with disabilities
should be permitted to determine whether or not
they need an escort and to travel without the
requirements for a medical clearance.
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(1) Regulatory Requirements for Airlines of Hong
Kong
International Practices
(i) International civil aviation follows ICAO
rules
(ii) Airline is regulated by the civil aviation
authority where the aircraft is registered
(iii) Hong Kong only regulates airlines of Hong
Kong.
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(1) Regulatory Requirements for Airlines of Hong
Kong
ICAO Requirements that had been brought into
Legal Effect Locally
Detail Requirements
Legislation Article 6 of Air Navigation (Hong
Kong) Order 1995, Cap 448C
An Air Operators Certificate (AOC) must be
obtained before an aircraft registered in HK can
be flown for public transport purpose.
CAD 360 Air Operators Certificate Requirements
Document
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(1) Regulatory Requirements for Airlines of Hong
Kong
Detail Requirements
(A) CAD360 Part I Chapter 7 - Cabin Safety /
Seat Allocation

• The following types of passengers should not be
  seated where they could
• obstruct emergency exits
• impede the crew in their duties
• obstruct access to emergency equipment or
• hinder aircraft evacuation.

(i) handicapped people, including the blind and
deaf. Only one such passenger should be
allocated to each floor level exit (ii) Persons
who are elderly or frail (iii) Children and
infants, whether accompanied or
not (iv) Deportees or prisoners in custody
and (v) Obese passengers.
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(1) Regulatory Requirements for Airlines of Hong
Kong
Detail Requirements
(B) CAD 360 Part I Chapter 6 Emergency and
Survival Training for Flight Crew and Cabin Crew
Cabin crew should be given training on correct
seat allocation with particular emphasis on the
seating of disabled passengers and the necessity
of seating able-bodied passengers adjacent to
unsupervised exits.
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(1) Regulatory Requirements for Airlines of Hong
Kong
Detail Requirements
(C) Flight Operations Notice (FON) FON No.
4/2008 reminds that -
(i) Airlines of Hong Kong to take necessary steps
to facilitate persons with disabilities
(ii) Cabin safety requirements to be incorporated
into airlines Operations Manuals (OM)
(iii) Persons with disabilities should NOT be
refused air transport on the grounds of their
disability or lack of mobility
(iv) Number of passengers with reduced mobility
must not exceed the total number of floor level
emergency exits
(v) Only one such passenger shall be allocated to
each floor level emergency exit located in the
passenger zone and
(vi) Passengers with reduced mobility shall be
seated where they will not obstruct emergency
exits, impede the crew in the duties, obstruct
access to emergency equipment or hinder aircraft
evacuation.
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(1) Regulatory Requirements for Airlines of Hong
Kong
What do the above requirements mean??
Allowable Number of Passengers with Reduced
Mobility on board an A330 aircraft and their seat
allocation
Floor Level Emergency Exit
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(1) Regulatory Requirements for Airlines of Hong
Kong
Allowable Number of Passengers with Reduced
Mobility on board a B747 aircraft and their seat
allocation
X
Floor Level Emergency Exit
X
X Over Wing or Upper Deck Emergency Exit
X
X
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(1) Regulatory Requirements for Airlines of Hong
Kong
Allowable Number of Passengers with Reduced
Mobility on board a B737 aircraft and their seat
allocation
X
X
Floor Level Emergency Exit
X Over Wing or Upper Deck Emergency Exit
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(1) Regulatory Requirements for Airlines of Hong
Kong
Why having these requirements?

• Some Background
• There are 3 major safety consideration in an
  aircraft accident
• The effect of the impact
• The effect of fire and smoke
• Drowning

Measures In-place to Improve Survivability (i) 16
G chair installed (ii) Fire retarded material
used inside aircraft cabin and (iii) No sharp or
pointed objects etc.
BUT MOST IMPORTANT Survive the impact and get out
quickly!
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(1) Regulatory Requirements for Airlines of Hong
Kong
Altitude
Survivability
Descend Profile
Runway
International Aircraft Certification
Standards All persons on board to evacuate from
aeroplane to ground within 90 seconds during
emergency using half the total number of exits.
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(1) Regulatory Requirements for Airlines of Hong
Kong
Emergency Evacuation from Aircraft to Ground
Sample video clips - (i) A380 Emergency
Evacuation Test (ii) CAL Naha Accident 20 Aug
2007.
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(2) Handling Procedures and Operational
Considerations of Airlines of Hong Kong
Acceptance Policy in General
(i) Airline policy in compliance with CADs
requirements in respect of allowable number of
passengers with disabilities and their seating
arrangement.
(ii) Reservations and Airport staff are
responsible for assessing whether passengers with
a disability require medical clearance, escorts
or other special requirements.
(iii) In-flight Service Manager (ISM) to advise
flight crew of the number and location of
passengers with disabilities before departure.
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(2) Handling Procedures and Operational
Considerations of Airlines of Hong Kong
Assistance Usually Offered
Free for Carriage
(i) One wheelchair and/or the associated
assistive devices is/are accepted free of charge
Priority Item
(ii) Wheelchair accepted as checked baggage
should be tagged with priority tag
(iii) High lifts to be provided to board /
disembark passenger to/from aircraft at remote
parking bay
(iv) Meet and Assist Passenger (MAAS) service
(e.g. sticker for identification, assist through
immigration and transfer desk)
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(2) Handling Procedures and Operational
Considerations of Airlines of Hong Kong
Assistance Usually Offered
(v) Assistance in move to/from and about the
cabin
(vi) Board first and disembark last
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(2) Handling Procedures and Operational
Considerations of Airlines of Hong Kong
Assistance Usually Offered
(vii) Make available suitable equipment, e.g.
skychair, wheelchair toilet, call button inside
toilet and raisable armrest
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(2) Handling Procedures and Operational
Considerations of Airlines of Hong Kong
Assistance Usually Offered
(viii) Separate safety briefing given and
(ix) Cabin Crew are to assist the passenger with
disabilities to move to the exit and disembark
the aircraft.
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(2) Handling Procedures and Operational
Considerations of Airlines of Hong Kong
Other Airline Operational Considerations
i) Cost implications
ii) Cabin crew requirements
iii) Any free seating arrangement
iv) Medical attention required
v) Operators responsibilities.
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(3) Real-Life Examples
Case 1 Declining the acceptance of Passenger
with Disability on board Singapores Jetstar Asia
flight 3K692 on 13 Dec 2007 from HK to Singapore
Findings
(i) Not HK registered airline
(ii) No policy in place
(iii) Low cost carrier
Case 2 Australian wheelchair lady refusing
assistance
Case 3 Problem encountered in handling blind
passenger
Case 4 Immobile European man travelling alone
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(4) Other Relevant Information
To ensure flight safety Carriage of Guide Dogs
or Assistance Dogs should -
(i) Comply with the definition of Guide dogs or
Assistance Dog before they are allowed in
passenger compartment (ii) Be provided with
suitable accommodation (iii) Not to be seated
adjacent to emergency exit (iv) Be provided with
suitable harness (v) Be constrained to avoid
trip-hazards etc.
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(4) Other Relevant Information
Rules Prescribed by Foreign Authorities
Examples (i) The US Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) safety rules require that
wheelchair passengers should not be seated at
emergency exits or upper deck of the
aircraft (ii) The European Union (EU) Regulation
(EC) No 1107/2006 on Rights of People with
Reduced Mobility specifies that these persons are
entitled to receive, free of charge, assistance
in airports and on board aircraft.
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(4) Other Relevant Information
Special Facilities at the Hong Kong International
Airport
Special facilities provided for passengers with
disabilities can be found at http//www.hongkongai
rport.com
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Summary
(i) HK complies with the international standards
in the handling of passengers with disabilities
(ii) HK has the same policy for carriage of
passengers with disabilities like other aviation
authorities
(iii) HKCAD requires HK registered airline to
develop a policy for carriage of persons with
disabilities
(iv) Such policy is developed for the purpose of
safety of all persons including persons with
disabilities on board the aircraft in the event
that an emergency situation occurs and a rapid
evacuation is required.
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????? Civil Aviation Department Hong Kong
Thank You