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Airports not hearing-impaired friendly
Although a special service for people with disabilities is currently available, there are still several challenges facing deaf people when using this transportation option.
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People walk between Asian Games decorations at the Soekarno-Hatta International Airport in Tangerang, Banten. (tribunjakarta.com/Ega Alfreda)
Traveling by plane may sound easy, but it poses a different challenge for those who are hearing-impaired.
Although a special service for people with disabilities is currently available, there are still several challenges facing deaf people when using this transportation option.
"People who are hearing-impaired often fail to understand information given by airport attendants," said Juniati Effendi, the head of the Sign Language Interpreter Service Center, on Monday as quoted by tempo.co.
Additionally, they cannot hear when information is announced through an airport's speakers, for example, when the departure schedule is changed or when flights are cancelled.
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"Because these announcements are only made through speakers, deaf passengers often miss their flights or catch the wrong plane," said Juniati.
She added that some hearing-impaired passengers were still required to sign medical certificates, despite the fact that Law No. 1/2009 on aviation stipulated that people with disabilities were not included in the category of people with medical conditions.
Due to these challenges, Juniati said, it was important to have sign language interpreters at several points of the airport.
"Ideally, there should be two sign language interpreters at certain points, she said, adding that among these points are the departure areas near the check-in counters and at immigration. (kes)
