Canada Accessibility Plan (APTRR) and Feedback Process

Virgin Atlantic is committed to providing an accessible and inclusive experience for all passengers. This is our initial accessibility plan, which will be updated based on our progress reports (to be published in June 2026 and June 2027) with all the latest developments. In June 2028, we’ll publish our next accessibility plan, outlining how we’ll continue to evolve and enhance our accessibility Proposition for the next three years.

We recognise that our website and digital services are essential touchpoints for all our customers. We also understand that for those living with disabilities, navigating these platforms can present additional challenges. That’s why we’ve been working diligently to identify and remove barriers, ensuring a more equitable and respectful experience for everyone.

As part of this commitment, we conducted a comprehensive audit of virginatlantic.com against WCAG 2.1 AA standards to uncover and address accessibility issues. This has led to a range of improvements, including enhanced compatibility with screen readers and keyboards, better colour contrast, and clearer text for images to support readability.

We’re continuing this work with guidance from the Blind community to further improve website accessibility. We also recognise that the way we communicate can create obstacles for some customers. In response, we now offer key travel information in alternative formats such as Braille, large print, and audio. Additionally, we’ve upgraded our chatbot to better support diverse needs.

We’ve also been making big changes to our inflight entertainment systems (IFE) – so everyone can sit back, relax and switch off. You’ll now find more content with captions, expanded audio description, as well as new features like dark mode and simplified interface for easier browsing.

Future developments

We’re continuing to work closely with our airport partners to explore digital solutions that improve communication and better support independence. In January 2025, this started with a visit to Heathrow where the Virgin Atlantic Accessibility Board (VAAB) explored the space and shared valuable feedback on existing communication and navigation barriers.

We intend to collaborate with Heathrow’s ACCESS panel to repeat the experience, making sure we hear directly and learn from people with lived experience. Looking ahead, we’ll continue exploring digital wayfinding tools to help passengers confidently navigate their way through the airport.

We want to make it easier for all our passengers to connect with us in the way that suits them best. That’s why we’re working with external partners to introduce a signing relay service in our contact centres - giving our deaf and hard of hearing customers more choice and flexibility when getting in touch.

We’re also continuing to improve our check in experience. Our self-serve kiosks are designed to be usable for all. And with the help of customer feedback and guidance from our accessibility board, we’re reviewing how visually impaired passengers interact with the kiosks - so we can better understand where gaps exist and how to improve.

The Virgin Atlantic app is on the way - and we're building it with input from the Virgin Atlantic Accessibility Board (VAAB) at every step of the journey. We're set to share early designs in Spring 2025, so we can listen, learn, and improve while we're still in the development phase.

At Virgin Atlantic, we understand that customers with assisted travel needs want to access our services in ways that reflect their individual preferences and requirements. Our goal is to ensure every customer feels supported and confident at every stage of their journey—before departure, during travel, and after arrival.

To support customers ahead of their trip, we’ve established our Accessible Travel Services Team. This dedicated department provides personalised guidance and reassurance, including assistance with medical clearance and tailored travel advice. The team collaborates closely with internal departments and external partners to ensure that everyone involved has the information they need to support the customer effectively.

We communicate through whichever channel best suits the customer—whether that’s email, confirmation letters, or phone calls—ensuring a responsive, respectful, and inclusive experience throughout.

And because we know that great journeys start with great people, we’ve put extra care into how we train and support our front-line teams, so all our passengers feel seen and supported. Be it a guest, an employee or part of our wider community – we’re proud to create an inclusive environment where everyone belongs.  We're committed to building a culture where those with health conditions or visible and non-visible disabilities can thrive, not just get by. New team members complete aviation disability awareness training, where they learn about a wide range of disabilities and how best to provide thoughtful, tailored support.

For our cabin crew, this training goes even further. Alongside practical and classroom-based learning during their initial course, they continue to build their skills through regular refresher training - including our newly updated AVMED eLearning module. It’s all part of our commitment to making every journey accessible from takeoff to landing

In 2024, we introduced Accessibility Matters — a classroom-based training programme for our customer centre teams, designed to boost confidence and build the knowledge needed to support passengers from the very first conversation. It helps our people understand individual needs, ask the right questions, and provide thoughtful, informed service. Through our internal workspace and our new partnership with LinkedIn Learning, employees have an entire library of accessibility content at their fingertips.

Future developments

We’re always looking for ways to improve how we support our people. Over the next three years, we’ll be enhancing our training programmes — from updating eLearning modules, to expanding British Sign Language training for crew, and rolling out Accessibility Matters course across the business.

In March 2025, we shared the course with VAAB, who gave us honest and constructive feedback. One key recommendation was to shift the focus of the course towards the barriers customers face, rather than what they may be unable to do - aligning the content more closely with the Social Model of Disability. The VAAB also advised that the training should have input from people with lived experience, and we’re committed to integrating this meaningfully into the refreshed programme.

Accessibility runs through everything we do at Virgin Atlantic, and that commitment extends beyond our own teams. We collaborate with suppliers and partners at every stage to make sure accessibility is always forefront of every product and service we procure. From collaborating with aircraft manufacturers on accessible onboard features like bathrooms, to working with airport authorities across our network to ensure services are available and up to standard. And in locations where we’re responsible, we carefully choose partners with the right equipment, training and values to deliver safe, respectful support. In our offices, we’ve partnered with a specialist supplier whose products blend our unique style with additional adaptations, like postural support and tailored adjustments, so everyone can work or unwind in comfort.

Future development

Every year, we will take a fresh look at our procurement process to ensure that the thread of Accessibility runs through everything we do. As part of this, we actively

seek insights from people with lived experience, including members of our own DEN and VAAB. Their voices help shape smarter, more inclusive decisions.

We’re proud to design products that work for everyone. That’s why we apply Universal Design principles across our business, meeting the needs of our people from the start. Ahead of travel, our dedicated Accessible Travel Services is on hand to help passengers plan for a smooth and stress-free journey. Be it arranging suitable seating onboard, assist with clearing service dogs, and help secure any necessary medical clearances. They also collaborate with colleagues and partners throughout the journey, passing on key information and offering guidance on accessible features of onward transport and hotel. For the passenger, this makes for a more relaxing trip.

At the airport, our commitment to accessibility continues. At Heathrow, our team is on hand in the check-in zone to support with kiosk use and then through to departures. We also offer a dedicated desk for those who’d prefer one-to-one support from our knowledgeable team. At both Heathrow and Toronto, we provide mobility assistance for those who need help moving through the terminal — whether that’s from kerbside to seat, or at any point along the way. It’s flexible and designed around choice. Across our airports and onboard our aircraft, we recognise the Sunflower Lanyard and provide support to our passengers with invisible disabilities whenever it’s needed. 

Onboard, our crew is fully briefed on any passengers who require assistance, ensuring they receive the support they need throughout the flight. Our team is happy to provide personalised safety briefings, guide customers through the cabin, and assist with meal arrangements, including helping with identifying meal contents and the placement of items. For our Deaf and Hard of Hearing customers, we’ve trained crew members in British Sign Language, so they can offer tailored support and ensure a comfortable, smooth flight experience.

Future developments

We’re reviewing the work of our special assistance team with the goal of allowing passengers to self-serve wherever they choose, giving them more control over their travel experience while ensuring equal access for all. Based on valuable feedback from the VAAB and our customers, we’ll be rebranding the team as Accessible Travel l Services. This change better aligns with modern sensitivities and helps us deliver a more coordinated, inclusive service. To make booking assistance even easier, we’re integrating all key IATA assistance codes into our online booking system, making it easier for passengers to book the support they need.

For guests who require special dietary meals, we’re working to offer greater flexibility by aligning certain meal types. For example, we will introduce a choice between Vegetarian and Diabetic meals, as both options are suitable for our passengers with diabetes.

We understand how important it is for our passengers to have reliable and accessible transport, whether it’s to and from the airport or between terminals. We work closely with airport authorities and local vendors across our network to provide accessible transport options, ensuring our disabled customers have reliable choices to get around the airport and between terminals with ease.

At both Toronto and Heathrow airports, accessible transport options are available, including taxis, public transport, and private vehicles. Once inside the airport, assistance is provided to help passengers from the kerbside all the way to their aircraft seat. For those transferring between terminals, accessible transport is on hand, and at Heathrow, the Accessible Help Bus is ready to assist those with more complex needs or time restraints. If an aircraft is on a remote stand, High Lifting vehicles are deployed so passengers can board smoothly with dignity.

Beyond the airport, we partner with car rental companies that offer vehicles equipped with hand controls, giving customers greater freedom and flexibility for independent travel. Our Accessible Travel Service is happy to assist and provide all the details you need to make your journey as smooth as possible.

Future developments

We’ll continue working closely with our airport partners to offer passengers a range of transport options to and from the airport, as well as around the airport itself. Above all, we’re committed to supporting our passengers by providing guidance and helping them choose the most suitable transport option for their needs.

Following feedback, we’ll keep reviewing our online information to help our passengers as best we can.  

We operate across a wide range of spaces, such as aircraft and lounges to offices and training facilities. While we directly manage some of these, like our offices and aircraft, others — especially within the airport — are managed by airport operators. In these cases, we work closely with them to make sure every area remains as accessible as possible. At Heathrow Terminal 3, accessibility features include step-free routes, CHANGINGPLACESin both departures and arrivals, accessible bathrooms throughout the terminal, and a designated dog relief area in the departure lounge, offering additional comfort for customers travelling with assistance animals. To make the airport journey more accessible and less stressful, many of our airports feature step-free access, and designated security and immigration lanes to support customers who may need a little extra time or space.

At Heathrow, our Clubhouse lounge is designed with inclusion in mind. There’s step-free access throughout the space, including outdoor areas, so all customers can move freely and enjoy everything the lounge has to offer. We also provide accessible bathrooms so customers can freshen up and feel flight-ready before heading to the gate. Onboard our aircraft, we’ve introduced several features to support passengers with accessibility requirements. These include an onboard wheelchair and an accessible bathroom. Every cabin includes seating with lifting armrests, and we also offer transfer boards to assist customers who need support moving into their seat.

Future developments

We’re constantly looking for ways to make our environments better for everyone who interacts with them, both physical and digital. While we already have a solid foundation in accessibility, we’re now placing greater focus on the needs of our Deaf and Blind passengers as well as those who identify as neurodiverse. Ongoing feedback from our Virgin Atlantic Advisory Board (VAAB) and Disability Employee Network (DEN) will be key to this. Their insights will help us identify what’s working, what could be improved, and how we can make our spaces truly inclusive for all. 

Virgin Atlantic is subject to paragraph 5(1)(a) and Part 2 of the Accessible Transportation for Persons with Disabilities Regulations, SOR/2019-244, which apply to its flights to and from Canada.