Requests for assistance for airline passengers with intellectual disabilities have nearly doubled since Travelport launched a global campaign designed to raise awareness of a dedicated Special Service Request (SSR) booking code.
The DPNA SSR code can be used by agents to alert airlines when a passenger has an intellectual or developmental disability and needs assistance.
Travelport launched its Travel Unified campaign in March after it found evidence of low use of the code on bookings made through its GDS. A poll of travel agents confirmed that this was due to a lack of awareness.
Since the launch of the campaign, use of the DPNA SSR code on flights booked through Travelport has increased globally by 89% year-on-year. At a regional level, use of the code on flights is now up 273% in Asia, 259% in Africa, 94% in Europe and 22% in Oceania but remains low in both North and South America.
Travelport has extended the campaign until at least the end of the year and called for all parties, including airlines and hotels, to do more to support people with intellectual disabilities.
