Guide Dogs return to London Gatwick 🐶

Our Accessibility manager Anna-Ruth Cockerham explains the importance of supporting guide dogs through the airport journey:

Travelling by yourself through a busy airport for the first time can be scary. Hundreds of gates, people and noises… and all on a strict schedule.

The stress and difficulty of the occasion is often amplified for those with a disability.

Since 2017, we have hosted visits for guide dogs, which allow them to get a head start on handling what might otherwise be an overwhelming experience, and last week we resumed these visits, following the pandemic. 

The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association brought eight puppies and their fosterers to London Gatwick, who were able to follow our passenger’s entire journey, from check in, through security and boarding a TUI plane.

We see around a dozen service animals a month travel through the airport – visits like this provide a fantastic training opportunity for them to get a better understanding of the unique airport environment and processes, so that when they support a person here, or at a similar busy public location in future, they’re ready for it.

It takes up to two years to train a guide dog, and these brilliant animals are placed with multiple volunteer fosterers and trainers throughout this time to cover different areas of the job. 

They also become the stars of the show as they move around the airport.  

These visits not only provide the animals with experience, but also importantly allow our colleagues to learn how we can better accommodate them. The airport is committed to improving the experiences of service animals and the passengers they support through airport-wide training and improved facilities. 

As part of our Decade of Change we’re ensuring our colleagues and passengers have equal access and opportunity, along with our vision to be the airport for everyone, whatever your journey. 

Thanks to our colleagues who helped with the visit, as well as TUI and ASC Handling for the plane, and our special assistance provider Wilson James .

#VinciAirports #GuideDogs #Disability #Accessability #Charity