In 2015 Advanced Listening was tasked to implement one-to-one, ‘Above Counter’ Hearing Loops at Vancouver International Airport. The scope of the project was to install units at thirteen Information Kiosks throughout the airport to improve the communication services offered to travelers.
In 2022 Advanced Listening was approached once again to evaluate the operational status of the hearing loop systems. During this evaluation, it was found that many of these systems were not in working order or were physically broken. The following year the initiative was taken to ensure that these systems be restored to working order and re-deployed in a manner that would best serve the community who rely on them. Furthermore, the opportunity was taken to educate the personnel who staff the information desks on how the hearing loops function and how they will be utilized by the public.
The initiative to implement and maintain the hearing loop systems at YVR fell under the purview of Senior Accessibility and Inclusion Specialist Marco Chiaramonte who spoke to the importance of accessibility at Vancouver Airport:
“Accessibility is one of our top priorities at YVR. As we continue our efforts in building an inclusive and accessible airport, we are proud to have hearing loop systems at all information counters to further enhance communications between our front-line support teams and people with hearing loss to ultimately ensure we deliver a more inclusive and barrier-free travel experience.”
Kudos to Vancouver International Airport for their continued efforts towards accessibility and enhancing listening environments!
