There are many things to love about Hawaii. Amazing sunsets. Incredible snorkeling. The aloha spirit of its residents. And captions at the airport. Wait! I hadn’t expected that last one!
I love Hawaii, so it is always with a heavy heart that I return to the airport for the long flight back to New York. Arriving at the gate, I often notice something special. Whenever the desk agent plays a pre-recorded announcement—for example, the description of the boarding procedures—the screen with the flight details transforms to show captions. Wonderful!
On the plane, I noticed more captions! Enabling the Captions and Subtitles option on the screen’s display delivered captions for pre-recorded safety announcements and entertainment. I have enjoyed this feature on other airlines as well.
Improvements Still Needed
While there are bright spots, communication access at the airport is not perfect. For example, live announcements at the gate are still not captioned. To help with unexpected situations like gate changes or delays, it is important to download and log into an airline’s app before arriving at the airport to receive timely alerts about your flight. You can also sign up for flight notifications to receive an email or text with the same type of information.
Live announcements are also not captioned while on board the aircraft. For safety, it is best practice to let the flight attendants (and perhaps even your seatmates) know that you may need communication assistance should an emergency occur.
Better Access May Be Coming Soon
More widespread access may be ahead. The 2024 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act included provisions for people with hearing loss, like better communication at the gate and on board the plane.
Hearing Loss Association of America was among a coalition of consumer advocacy groups that strongly supported these measures, and it continues to work with the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the FAA to incorporate captioning and other accessible communications in airports and on flights.
Readers, have you noticed better communication access when you fly?
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