Qantas hosted its fourth Forum for Customers with Specific Needs at Sydney Domestic Airport on the 6th June 2007.The Customer Forum provides an opportunity for Qantas and QantasLink to provide an update on initiatives to improve products and services for customers with disabilities.

Forum members provided valuable feedback, offered suggestions and raised concerns.

This feedback is used with general customer feedback that Qantas receives throughout the year to assist Qantas in its continuous improvement programs and review of its policies for people with disabilities.

Representatives from the following disability groups were invited to the Forum in June, 2007:

• Australian Federation of Disability Organisations
• Physical Disability Council of Australia
• Paraplegic & Quadriplegic Association of NSW
• Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission
• Wheelchair Sports Australia
• The National Disability and Carer Ministerial Advisory Council
• People with Disability Australia
• Blind Citizens Australia
• Australian Association of the Deaf
• Deafness Forum of Australia

Qantas has reviewed and developed its disability awareness training material for Airport Staff, Cabin Crew and Contact Centre staff across Qantas and has introduced the Passenger Assistance Brochure to assist passengers travelling with a mobility aid.

For Qantas domestic travel within Australia and New Zealand, customers who travel with a carer are eligible to purchase reduced fares for both themselves and their carer where they have an approved carer concession card such as the Qantas Carer Concession Card (available through Nican). Refer to www.nican.com.au for further information.
Qantas is currently reviewing its policies for people who are deaf or hearing impaired, along with its policies for people who are blind or vision impaired, and hopes to be able to announce new improvements to these services in the coming months.