Leading sight loss charity the Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is taking legal action over low cost airline bmibaby's failure to ensure web access for blind and partially sighted customers.
Bmibaby Ltd has failed to make vital changes to its website to allow customers with sight loss to use their online services instead of being forced to search for flights or make bookings via a call centre. Concerns were first raised in 2010 when RNIB was made aware of the problem through frustrated customers, no longer able to book flights through the bmibaby website.
One of those customers is Alexandra from Loughborough, who is registered blind. She says: "I regularly need to book flights and had also wanted to book a surprise weekend away for my husband on one occasion, but was let down by the website. I didn't want to use the call centre as costs can mount up and I wanted the freedom to compare flights and prices before making a decision.
"I feel that it is robbing visually impaired people of the freedom to choose how they make bookings. It makes me feel like the disabled community is not seen as a lucrative market and that we are clearly not valued as potential or returning customers."
Another customer let down by the experience is Iain, who added: "I am the Chairman for a charitable organisation in Scotland and need a reliable service to ensure I can easily search for information and book flights to attend meetings in England. It is very frustrating that the website remains inaccessible when these issues have been flagged up since 2010."
Despite receiving expert advice, recommendations and a full audit report from RNIB, bmibaby is still to make any significant progress. RNIB has now served bmibaby with legal proceedings as the website remains inaccessible to those using screen readers or those who cannot use a mouse.
Hugh Huddy, RNIB Campaigns Officer for Inclusive Society, said: "Blind and partially sighted customers deserve to have access to the best online prices and flight information, just as any customer of BMIBaby does. Why should those with sight loss risk missing out on a web-only deal or be forced to ring a call centre simply because companies are failing to take accessibility standards seriously?"
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Notes to Editor
For media enquiries, please contact Rachel Cafferty in RNIB's Public Relations Team on 07968 482 812 or 0207 391 2223, email rachel.cafferty@rnib.org.uk
About RNIB
Everyday around 100 people in the UK start to lose their sight. There are around two million people in the UK with sight problems. RNIB is the leading charity working in the UK offering practical support, advice and information for anyone with sight difficulties. If you, or someone you know, has a sight problem RNIB can help. Call the RNIB Helpline on 0303 123 9999 or visit www.rnib.org.uk