AirSprint Accessibility Plan

Introduction 

AirSprint supports a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are committed to developing a barrier-free workplace that allows for full participation of all individuals, including persons with disabilities.

AirSprint’s Accessibility Plan considers the following principles, as set out in the Accessible Canada Act.

1. All persons must be treated with dignity regardless of their disabilities.
2. All persons must have the same opportunity to make for themselves the lives that they are able and wish to have regardless of their disabilities.
3. All persons must have barrier-free access to full and equal participation in society, regardless of their disabilities.
4. All persons must have meaningful options and be free to make their own choices, with support if they desire, regardless of their disabilities.
5. Laws, policies, programs, services, and structures must take into account the disabilities of persons, the different ways that persons interact with their environments, and the multiple and intersecting forms of marginalization and discrimination faced by persons.
6. Persons with disabilities must be involved in the development and design of laws, policies, programs, services, and structures.
7. The development and revision of accessibility standards and the making of regulations must be done with the objective of achieving the highest level of accessibility for persons with disabilities.

General

For inquiries or to provide feedback about this Plan or about accessibility at AirSprint, please contact us in one of the following ways:

Contact:            

HR Director

By mail:            

AirSprint Private Aviation
1910 McCall Landing NE
Calgary, Alberta T2E 9B5

Email:               

humanresources@AirSprint.com

Telephone:       

1.403.539.8117

Alternative Formats 

Available:       

Audio
Large print
Print
Braille
Electronic (an electronic format that is compatible with adaptive technology that is intended to assist persons with disabilities)

Print, large print, and electronic formats of this Plan will be provided withing 15 days of a request. Braille or audio formats of this Plan will be provided within 45 days of a request.

Definitions from the Accessible Canada Act 

“Barrier” means anything – physical, architectural, technological, or attitudinal, anything that is based on information or communications, or anything that is the result of policy or a practice – that hinders the full and equal participation in society of persons with an impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication, or sensory impairment of a functional limitation.

“Disability” means any impairment, including a physical, mental, intellectual, cognitive, learning, communication, or sensory impairment – or a functional limitation – whether permanent, temporary, or episodic in nature, or evident or not, that, in interaction with a barrier, hinders a person’s full and equal participation in society.

Focus Area 1: Employment 

AirSprint employs over 300 employees. We offer accommodation as required throughout the recruitment and selection process; our website speaks to our goal of a company culture that is welcoming, inclusive, and representative of Canada. We encourage candidates to advise us if any support, including disability accommodation, is required at any time throughout the recruitment and selection process. The process to advise Human Resources is shared on all our postings, and a reminder is provided to candidates selected for an interview.

Focus Area 2: The Built Environment 

AirSprint has a goal to create a workplace free of physical barriers to improve the environment for all employees. AirSprint’s facilities and assets are both owned and leased, and include office spaces, hangar spaces, and different aircraft types. Discussions and plans over acquisitions and lease of new workspaces and upgrades of existing workspaces are viewed through an accessibility lens to ensure a barrier-free environment.

AirSprint is transitioning to ergonomic office equipment with all new purchases. Accommodations based on accessibility issues are facilitated as required.

Our Hybrid Work policy allows employees flexibility in their physical work location. For positions that have been deemed suitable for hybrid work, employees can work both remotely and in-office, helping to manage any potential barriers resulting from their physical workspace.

Our Accommodation policy outlines AirSprint’s duty to accommodate and describes the accommodation process for all employees. Accommodations resulting from accessibility issues in our physical workspaces are facilitated as required.

Where “invisible” disabilities (e.g. environmental sensitivities, anxiety, neurodiversity) have been voluntarily identified or disclosed, managers have educated themselves to ensure they are aware of, and are accommodating, employee requirements within the physical workspace.

Focus Area 3: Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)

The bulk of the software used at AirSprint is Microsoft Office 365 which provides best-in-class apps and powerful cloud services with accessibility built in. https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/accessibility/microsoft-365?activetab=pivot_1:primaryr2 This includes features for impairments with Vision, Hearing, Neurodiversity, Learning, Mobility and Mental Health.

For the systems that are not Microsoft based the remainder are primarily web based and therefore benefit from the Accessibility features of Google Chrome. These include live captioning, quick highlighting of focused objects, page navigation with a text cursor instead of a mouse and image descriptions.

AirSprint is committed to providing a website accessible to the broadest possible audience, regardless of technology or ability. We are continuously working to increase the accessibility and usability of our website and, in doing so, adhere to many of the available standards and guidelines.

The AirSprint website endeavours to conform to level Double-A of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1. The AirSprint website uses code compliant with W3C standards for HTML/CSS, which displays correctly in current browsers.

While AirSprint strives to adhere to the accepted guidelines and standards for accessibility and usability of its website, it is not always possible to do so in all website areas.

Many optimal navigation considerations are in place, including consistent navigation elements throughout the site, essential links at the top, buttons that are clickable without a mouse, and multiple search paths. We are working to refine potential keyboard traps and the different reactions between focus and activation.

From a comprehension perspective, all essential information for buttons, graphics, and images is described using alt text. Furthermore, across the website, colour contrast is at least 4.5:1, form fields have accurate labels, all headings are in a logical order—and large text options, specific page titles/metadata, and reflow functionality are in place.

Focus Area 4: Communication, Other Than ICT 

AirSprint strives to make alternative formats for all internal and external communications and marketing collateral, which are available upon request. AirSprint will provide print, large print, and electronic formats within 15 days of a request. Braille or audio formats will be provided within 45 days of a request.

Focus Area 5: The Procurement of Goods, Services, and Facilities 

AirSprint is committed to prioritizing accessibility in its procurement processes, to ensure that goods, services, and facilities acquired meet the necessary accessibility requirements. Typically, barriers commonly encountered include a lack of awareness of accessibility requirements during procurement, challenges in finding goods or services with accessibility features, and the absence of industry standards for certain products. To overcome these barriers, AirSprint plans to provide consistent guidance on accessibility considerations, encourage market research and analysis, and ensure contractors prioritize accessibility in their proposals.

AirSprint will continue to evaluate the effectiveness of our accessibility procurement initiatives and make necessary adjustments, to enhance accessibility in procurement processes and contribute to broader goals of inclusivity and accessibility.

Focus Area 6: The Design and Delivery of Programs and Services, and Focus Area 7: Transportation

AirSprint provides “Disability Awareness Training” to all employees who work directly with our clients as part of the orientation process, to ensure our employees can effectively support our Fractional Owners with accessibility needs.

Accessibility needs of our Fractional Owners are accommodated as required. We have purchased an aircraft wheelchair designed for narrower spaces to accommodate access to our aircraft for individuals who are wheelchair users. Notes are placed on our Owners’ files detailing any specific accommodation requirements, such as proper transport of mobility aids (e.g. in-cabin vs cargo storage), trained transfer assistance for individuals with mobility restrictions, special customs requirements resulting from different health concerns, accommodations to support neurodiverse individuals, or supports for individuals with neurodegenerative diseases.