Speaker Biograghy: Lawrence is Los Angeles World Airports’ Coordinator for Disabled Services, a position he has held for 18 years. He joined Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) in 1989. He works with airline partners on disability-related issues that impact the entire airport community, and works with airlines to address and resolve traveller complaints received by the disability office. He works with disability communities to identify ways of improving access, public education about available services, disabled air traveller rights, addressing public concerns about accessibility and air travel. Most recently Lawrence worked with the autism community and airline partners on ways to make air travel less stressful for families with autism. He developed the Autism Self-Identification Programme along with families with autism, airlines and airport police, to defuse potential incidents when a person with autism is experiencing a breakdown.


Day 1 - 20 March
Session: Customer Service & Passenger Experience

09:40 - 10:40 - Panel Discussion: Cognitive disabilities, travellers and airports
Synopsis: A panel of practitioners who deal with air travellers with cognitive issues will discuss issues including autism, developmental disabilities, ADHD, dementia and PTSD.

Audience will learn:

• Importance of cognitive issues in airports
• Customer service value of dealing fairly with cognitive issues
• Commercial advantages of effective cognitive assistance programmes
• Effective current practices

Day 3 - 22 March
Session: Management & Operations: Crisis & Disaster

10:35 - 11:05 - Avoiding disaster by meeting the needs of seniors and PRM
Synopsis: Ageing and disabled passengers face challenges that are rarely considered when preparing emergency plans or live disaster drills. Senior citizens and persons with disabilities must be included in preparing, reviewing and participating in these matters. The presentation looks at the impact major incidents have on senior citizens and PRM. The speaker will discuss events at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), including an active shooter in November 2013. Technology can play a crucial role in an airport’s ability to provide assistance and timely information to these vulnerable populations.

Audience will learn:

• Why older travellers and PRM need to be included in disaster planning
• Impact on older travellers and PRM from mistaken assumptions about their needs
• Lessons learned regarding older travellers and PRM during actual events
• The value of after-event debriefs (and sharing after-action reports) with airport community members
• Planning for the next emergency with older travellers and PRM in mind

Day 3 - 22 March
Session: Ageing Population & PRMs

11:30 - 11:55 - Providing customer service for the ageing population and PRM
Synopsis: Previously airports have spent billions of dollars on terminals and other infrastructure to create memorable experiences while not always addressing the needs of elderly and disabled travellers. These often overlooked populations need advocates to speak on their behalf and inform airports on how they can best serve those populations. The US Census Bureau reports that one in five people in the USA will be elderly by 2030. Terminal planners should be considering how to include wayfinding and other elements that impact the airport experience with the growing ageing population and PRM in mind. In doing so, everyone benefits.

Audience will learn:

• Discussing how older travellers and PRM are a growing segment of the travelling public
• The challenges that PRM encounter that are not always offset or addressed by terminal planning and design
• Correcting the misconception that PRM are specifically older
• Identifying needs of older travellers and PRM