A major British airline has become the first to offer British sign language trained crew and have teamed up with deaf Gladiators star, Jodie Ounsley, to put the inclusive travel experience to the test.
Jodie was joined by deaf content creators and British Sign Language (BSL) users, Hermon and Heroda Berhane on board the only UK airline to offer BSL trained cabin crew on a flight to Washington DC. The experience was captured in a new film released to mark International Week of Deaf People, which sees trained cabin crew provide Virgin Atlantic’s signature service in BSL.
The trio shared feedback from their onboard experience with Virgin Atlantic’s new Accessibility Advisory Board to inform the airline as part of its commitment to making travel inclusive for all. It comes as research finds 82% of the people surveyed who are deaf or have hearing loss are planning at least one holiday in the next year, but more than half (58%) worry about communicating with crew.
In addition to ongoing BSL training, Virgin Atlantic has also committed to increase the subtitled options available on in-flight entertainment from the current 80% of movies and 40% of TV, increase clarity of services and links to special assistance contact within Virgin Atlantic’s My Booking platform and the introduction of Sign Live; an on-demand BSL interpreter for customer service teams ensuring support at all points along the journey.
The commitments build on Virgin Atlantic’s existing inclusivity initiatives, which include bespoke BSL and Deaf Awareness training conducted by Remark!, the leading deaf-led organisation who provide BSL training and translation for the community and is available to all colleagues and the availability of hearing loops onboard all flights.
Virgin Atlantic’s team of BSL trained crew has more than doubled since the start of 2023 and are available to request on all flights.
Jodie commented: “Until recently I didn’t feel confident enough to fly on my own but knowing that airlines like Virgin Atlantic can provide specially trained crew with the awareness and understanding to make me feel comfortable onboard is really empowering.”
While onboard, Hermon and Heroda shared that they found it ‘surreal’ to feel understood and commented that being able to communicate their requirements and needs made the world of difference.
Emma Flanagan, Virgin Atlantic BSL trained cabin crew, commented: “My goddaughter was born deaf, so I started learning BSL so I could communicate with her. I also have Tinnitus, so understand what the experience of flying can be like for someone with hearing loss. Making all passengers feel included and empowered at every stage of the flight is a key part of our role as cabin crew.”
Virgin Atlantic has been working with the RNID – the national charity supporting the 18 million people in the UK who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus to uncover new research around travelling for the community.
81% would welcome deaf awareness training as standard across the aviation industry, while BSL training (21%), consultation from those with hearing loss to improve policies (79%), and the introduction of technological support for deaf people and people with hearing loss (83%) were also measures that people who are deaf or have hearing loss would like to see introduced.
The campaign is part of Virgin Atlantic’s ongoing commitment to inclusive travel for all. It follows a new partnership with Channel 4 that has seen one of Virgin Atlantic’s BSL trained crew join the broadcaster’s sign language interpreter on screen in a series of idents and the airline’s support of the England Deaf Rugby team for their recent tour of South Africa.
To find out more about Virgin Atlantic’s BSL offering and to request BSL trained cain crew, visit here.