Dear Tom,

Dear Tom,


You may recall we recently met outside the Point in Dublin, when I offered to take a picture of you and your friend.


I am currently doing an Executive MBA at UCD Michael Smurfit Business School and as part of our course, my fellow student David Rehill and I are currently undertaking an Organisational Behaviour & Decision Making Assignment, which is focusing on Aer Lingus' Communication with Disabled and Elderly Passengers. In terms of our individual background, David is a Chartered Civil Engineer and an Associate at O'Connor Sutton Cronin & I am a Chartered Town Planner, have my own business and am an External Member of the NAMA Board. We both have done work in relation to disability issues and indeed my own brother has Cerebral Palsy.


We have developed a Passenger Communications Process diagram, a copy of which is attached, to illustrate the communications process that the average disabled and elderly Aer Lingus passenger will navigate. You will note that whilst Aer Lingus has responsibility for most passenger communication, also parties like DAA have major involvement in the communication process.


We consider it extremely important to capture the views of disabled and elderly former passengers in relation to their communication experiences when travelling with Aer Lingus or generally navigating through Dublin Airport and are therefore making contact with you to establish if you have travelled with the airline in recent years and if you experienced any communication difficulties in relation to the following:
Difficulties in reading aviation advertisements/ email advertisements;
Difficulties hearing/seeing (if TV) radio aviation advertisements or media interview ;
Difficulties using Aer Lingus website;
Difficulties hearing or using phone to make Aer Lingus booking, particularly if requiring special assistance;
Difficulties reading or accessing Aer Lingus booking confirmation email;
Difficulties reading / printing Aer Lingus boarding pass;
Difficulties reading Aer Lingus text alerts;
Difficulties travelling to Airport;
Difficulties navigating and using check-in, security, executive lounge, departure gate and embarking plane, whether assisted or unassisted;
Difficulties hearing announcements or reading or following signage in the airport;
Difficulties hearing or seeing air steward when giving security announcement physically or via video link;
Difficulties communicating with air steward regarding in flight services;
Difficulties reading Aer Lingus in flight literature;
Difficulties hearing or seeing air steward and captain when giving arrivals information; and
Difficulties disembarking, navigating passport control, baggage reclaim, customs, exit and onward travel to destination whether assisted or unassisted.
Or indeed if you are aware of any other disabled or elderly passengers that may be willing to advise us of their experiences?


Please note that our final report will be submitted to our Lecturer Dr Jacob Eisenburg, UCD Michael Smurfit Business School & Aer Lingus only on 16th December 2011. Aer Lingus has asked us to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement, so whilst we can provide you with the section relating to your response, we are not at liberty to provide you with a copy of the final report.


I appreciate that I am asking quite a lot of you and you may not have the information or time to assist, but any assistance would be most appreciated. I also appreciate that the project has quite a short turn around time, with it only commencing last Friday and finishing on 16th December and its a busy time of year. If you have any queries in respect of the above, please do not hesitate to contact me on 086 881 5556.


Thank you.


Kind Regards


Alice Charles