Travelport has launched a global campaign to improve awareness and use of the DPNA Special Service Request (SSR) code, which can be used by travel agents, among others, to alert airlines when a passenger has an intellectual or developmental disability and needs assistance.
The campaign was initiated after Travelport found evidence of exceptionally low use of the code on bookings made through its global distribution system.
An estimated 200 million people worldwide have an intellectual disability, but the code was used just 4,309 times last year, representing just 0.0015% of total flight bookings.
A poll of 136 of travel agents, conducted by Travelport, revealed that just 24% know the code exists.
Travelport’s six-month long campaign will reach more than 100,000 travel agents in over 30 countries.
It features electronic direct mails as well as sign on alerts and graphical prompts delivered through the company’s flagship Travelport Smartpoint tool, which is used to search and book airline seats, hotel rooms and more.
The EDMs and sign on alerts are being shown to its travel agent partners globally, while the prompts are activated when a consultant is at the booking stage of a flight.
Travelport has also created a campaign webpage (www.travelport.com/travelunified), which provides guidance for travel agents on talking to travellers about intellectual disabilities and associated assistance.