A acessibilidade no atendimento para passageiros nos aeroportos: perspectivas do ponto de vista do usuário surdo e da legislação

Abstract

Accessibility in assistance for deaf passengers at Brazilian airports is vital for inclusion in air transportation, and it is therefore necessary to understand the reality of this support in the light of legislation and business practices in the sector. With this in mind, this study seeks to analyze the service provided by airlines to these passengers, considering their perspectives. The relevance of the topic for the deaf community and for airlines is clear, as it seeks to meet accessibility standards and encourage improvements in services. The qualitative-quantitative study used bibliographic, documentary and field procedures, with a questionnaire administered to 23 deaf respondents. The results indicate that 82.6% of the participants had used air transportation, 81.8% were unaware of the rights of Passengers with Special Assistance Needs (PSAN), 94.7% had no communication in Brazilian Sign Language (LIBRAS) at the ticket counter and 73.7% had not been accompanied by airport professionals during the wait. Surprisingly, 78.3% expressed a willingness to travel by plane again. It was concluded that there are deficiencies in compliance with federal laws and decrees and with Resolution 280 of the National Civil Aviation Agency (ANAC), and that there is a need to improve air transportation for the deaf. Based on these findings, the study suggests the urgent inclusion of LIBRAS in the training of ground and onboard teams at airlines and airports, not only due to legal determination, but also as a differentiator in the attendants' curriculum. For future research, we suggest studying the feasibility of adopting other accessibility technologies, as proposed by the survey participants. These improvements are crucial to promoting a more inclusive and satisfactory experience for deaf passengers.