The Guide Dogs charity has teamed up with Cardiff Airport, which is aiming to be recognised throughout the UK as a flagship airport for accessibility.
Guide Dogs has been training staff at the airport to help passengers with sight loss, including guide dog owners, long cane users and young people. Staff have learnt skills including sighted guiding techniques, how to recognise when someone may need support, and how to offer this safely.
A behind-the-scenes video of a training day is available on the Guide Dogs YouTube channel. It shows a member of staff helping Gary, a long cane user who has sight loss, to navigate the airport before going through security and onto a plane.
Also featured in the video are frequent flier Chloe, who shares her experiences of travelling on a plane with guide dog Emily, plus a young person with sight loss, who visited the airport with his family.
Kerry Bevan, Head of Skills, Information and Support Services for Guide Dogs, said: “We brought a range of services together at Cardiff Airport to show the benefits of sighted guiding and the importance of accessible travel. Guide Dogs has been pleased to work with other airports, including Bristol Airport and East Midlands Airport, to provide sighted guiding training for their staff. We are keen to build on this and work with all airline and airport staff to provide a range of practical and customised sighted guided training to support a better passenger experience for disabled people.”
Angela Hewitson, Terminal Operations Manager for Cardiff Airport, said: “We would like to say a huge thank you to Guide Dogs Cymru for their wonderful support. Their team recently delivered sighted guide training to our Special Assistance Team and frontline colleagues, helping us grow our skills and confidence in supporting people with sight impairment. The training was not only practical but also inspiring, and it’s given our teams a better understanding of how small changes can make a big difference. We’re really looking forward to building on this partnership with Guide Dogs Cymru, continuing to learn from their expertise, and working together to make sure everyone feels welcome, safe, and supported when travelling with us.”
