Houston Airports welcomes the world to talk about accessible travel

Universal Access in Aviation brought airports, airlines and advocates together to help more passengers say yes to the journeys that matter to them

Every day, the teams at George Bush Intercontinental Airport and William P. Hobby Airport help passengers of all abilities get where they’re going. This month, the people who shape accessible air travel around the world came to Houston to talk about how to do it even better.

From Nov. 3-5, Houston Airports hosted Universal Access in Aviation (UAIA), a conference held every two years and organized by Open Doors Organization. UAIA has brought together airports, airlines, government agencies, suppliers and travelers with disabilities since 2006. The 10th edition took place at the Omni Houston, with presentations, panel discussions and a mini-expo focused on accessibility and customer service.

Kelly Woodward, chief operating officer for Houston Airports, opened the conference with a story from Hobby Airport. Last year, families came to board a “flight to nowhere,” a Wings for All rehearsal that let them get familiar with the airport and prepare for a future flight. Some hoped to visit grandparents. One hoped to travel to the Philippines.

“Every discussion we have here eventually reaches out into someone’s life,” Woodward told attendees. “It can affect whether they accept an invitation, visit someone they love or feel comfortable making plans. That is a very good reason to care about getting this right.” She said the goal is for every passenger to feel that their journey was planned with them in mind.

“That is what I want our welcome to feel like: Someone thought about you before you arrived,” Woodward said.

That thinking shows up across Houston Airports. Bush and Hobby airports offer amenities such as sensory rooms, companion care restrooms, wheelchair services and Aira visual interpreting, and accessible design is built into both terminals. Bush Airport is home to the state’s first airport sensory room.

Woodward also spoke about the importance of listening to the people who experience barriers firsthand, including travelers who have decided not to fly because of them.

“I want us to listen long enough to understand the experience before we explain the process,” she said. “A traveler should be able to describe a problem without also having to design the solution. That’s our job.”

To strengthen that work, Houston Airports is expanding its ADA and accessibility team in Houston with a stronger focus on community engagement.

In addition to the main conference, Houston Airports hosted the Airline and Airport Symposia on Nov. 3. These closed-door working sessions brought together airline and airport professionals from across the United States and around the world for candid conversations that don’t always happen on a conference stage.

“It’s an honor that Open Doors Organization chose Houston for its 10th Universal Access in Aviation conference,” said Anthony Brown, ADA program manager for Houston Airports. “Of all the places this gathering could have gone, it came to our airports. That says something about the work our teams do every day, and it was our turn to open doors and show the industry what Houston does best.”

Woodward closed her remarks by returning to the families at Hobby and the people they hoped to see.

“Our job is to make sure more people can say yes to the journeys that matter to them,” she said. “Thank you for being here. Welcome to Houston.” To learn more about Universal Access in Aviation, visit the Open Doors Organization website: https://opendoorsnfp.org/news-events/conferences-and-symposia/