Impacts of Aging Travelers on Airports (2014)

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12 If the check-in process can be confusing to the aging trav- eler, the airside environment, with its abundance of poten- tial destinations (gates, retail outlets, eating establishments, toilets, etc.) and resulting signage clutter and information overload, can be even more confounding. Much has been written about intuitive wayfinding in airport terminals, but directional and informational signs play a far greater role in helping passengers navigate their way through the typical terminal. AIRSIDE WAYFINDING Most of the airports surveyed agreed that signage clutter was a problem, and indicated that they were taking steps to deal with it. The primary approach was to establish a hierarchy of signs that could differentiate directional and informational notices from commercial and advertising displays (Figure 8). Wolfe presents the following useful list of criteria for termi- nal signage: • Placement: Typically, directional signs should be placed where passengers can see them before they reach the concourse. They should also be placed near ticket coun- ters or curbside check-in. • Orientation: Maps need to be oriented with the axis of the environment. A different orientation of the map requires transposing directions on the part of the traveler, a dif- ficult task, especially for seniors. • Color: The choice of color is important, as seniors may have trouble discerning pastels and color intensity. Changes to the eye during aging may also make it dif- ficult to distinguish certain color combinations. • Text size: The size of the text should be large enough to allow for easy reading. • Complexity: Wayfinding maps that try to display three- dimensional space are often too complicated to interpret. Furthermore, maps that attempt to convey too much information may be confusing. There was a striking consistency of opinion from interview- ees about the most effective design for public signs—ideally, that they would have a strong primary colored background with large, white, or yellow unadorned letters, and preferably back-lit (Figure 9). One airport had just replaced a terminal’s original signage system, which had been designed in earth tones, because it could not compete visually with commer- cial messages. One airport, in the process of creating a new signage master plan, indicated it was adding more symbols to its signs to improve readability. The second most common method of wayfinding is using information points. It was reported in the survey that elderly travelers apparently preferred to seek directions at booths staffed by volunteer “ambassadors,” many of whom were elderly themselves and were therefore considered to be approachable. However, as discussed earlier, there is a “new” generation of older travelers who are more conversant with technology, for whom touch-screen information kiosks may be preferable to engaging in conversation. The Pew Research Center’s Internet & American Life Project (Smith 2013) indicates that 18% of seniors had smart phones in May 2013, compared with 13% in February 2012, a 38% increase. Several interview respondents said free Wi-Fi in terminals was leading to an increasing use of smart phone applications for wayfinding. One app gives gate changes in real time. Another helps passengers find gate locations, concessions, and amenities at more than 100 airports in the United States, Canada, and London (New York Times). One idea put forward for helping the elderly passengers gather information was to group together the sources, includ- ing staffed positions, touch screen terminals, a correctly ori- entated “You Are Here” map, and Flight Information Display Systems (FIDS), to make the information more accessible. Visual paging systems have also benefited aging travelers, and are typically located as part of an FIDS array, although more sophisticated systems with two-way communications may overtake that arrangement. It was reported that the elderly often found FIDS difficult to read because of the font size; and were confused by the scrolling of flight information by airline alliances that have multiple flight numbers for a single flight. TRANSITIONING BETWEEN FLOORS Frequently the path of travel through an airport terminal involves the passenger changing levels, most commonly by escalator, with elevators and stairs being secondary choices. All survey respondents noted that escalators presented prob- lems for the elderly, and that accidents were not uncom- mon. (The Consumer Product Safety Commission estimates that more than 10,000 people are injured on escalators in public areas every year.) This was also a frequent opinion chapter five FROM THE SECURITY CHECKPOINT TO THE GATE AND FROM GATE TO GATE

13 flow-through elevators for reasons of safety, passenger con- venience (especially for the elderly and families), and energy conservation Another respondent said that, in a recently completed terminal, escalators had been eliminated in favor of elevators, ramps, and 1:20 gradient sloped floors. At a smaller airport undergoing renovation, the relatively large number of elderly passengers was a factor in deciding on a single-level design. In many European terminals, notably London’s Heathrow Airport Terminal 5, the primary means of vertical circulation connecting the arrival and departure levels and the parking decks and ground transportation is by banks of as many as six large-capacity elevators, in effect, forming a vertical tran- sit system (Figure 10). At one of the U.S. airports surveyed, the elevators had been reprogrammed to ensure that there was always one cab with its doors open on the primary level; lighting in the area had also been upgraded to increase visi- bility, especially for the elderly. Another airport had installed audible messages at escalators alerting passengers of the availability of nearby elevators. A suggestion for reducing accidents caused by older people missing their steps on esca- lators was to specify longer horizontal sections at the top and bottom. LONG WALKING DISTANCES Another frequently mentioned problem facing elderly travelers is the long walk distances often involved in getting to the gate and between gates. Planning standards generally recommend a maximum unassisted walk distance of 1,000 feet; however, distances far shorter than that can be tiring for an elderly trav- eler. The installation of moving walkways has been the com- mon answer to this issue but, as with escalators, these moving belts can present problems getting on and off. Audible alerts before the end of the walks can be effective depending on the surrounding environment; but one respondent noted that in found in the literature review, including in the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) Planning Manual, which states that elevators or ramps are preferable to escala- tors. The installation of variable speed escalators, which are generally preferred for energy saving reasons, may benefit the elderly, but there is no definitive data on that aspect. One airport representative reported that, in remodeling its existing terminals, the airport was removing all of the existing escalators and replacing them with high-capacity, FIGURE 8 Confusing signage. FIGURE 9 Clear signage (Corgan). FIGURE 10 Large capacity elevators (Corgan).

14 There is an apparent increase in the use of wheelchairs in airport terminals. This is partly owing to the increase in the number of elderly travelers. A 2013 study at Minneapolis Inter- national Airport, “Operations Accessibility Issues in Airports,” ascertained that 90% of wheelchair users in airports did not use them in their daily lives. The same study recorded 15,000 wheelchair uses at the airport in a single month. This number is bound to increase substantially. Traditionally, wheelchair services have been provided by the airlines, but increasingly they are being provided or supplemented by airports eager to provide a high level of service to their customers. An alternative to wheelchairs are motorized scooters, either provided by the airport or belonging to passengers. One interviewee reported that the increase in the number of scooters at their airport was causing congestion, particularly in the hold rooms. Also, the increased use of personal wheel- chairs and scooters has made it virtually essential for eleva- tors to be constructed near each gate to facilitate transfers from the concourse to the ramp. On the plus side, they do provide greater autonomy for the passengers, enabling them, for example, to shop or enjoy a restaurant on their way to the gate, possibly enhancing revenue; and also to dispense with the necessary assistance of a staff member. At one airport, it had been noticed that elderly passengers were having difficulty pushing baggage carts across slight changes of floor level and thresholds; so airport manage- ment worked with the manufacturer to redesign the wheel system to overcome this problem. Problems with baggage carts still remain, however. Brakes are necessary to avoid runaway carts on ramps, but they can often be difficult to apply; they can also present a hazard at the end of a mov- ing walkway, stopping the cart abruptly just as the passenger begins to walk. Some airports reported they were reducing the impact of long walks by adding seating in “way stations” along longer concourses. It was noted that some elderly passengers tended to misjudge the distance to the gates, and refused the offer of a wheelchair at check-in only to realize, once through security, the length of the walk ahead of them. Unfortu- nately, airline-provided wheelchairs are not readily avail- able at this point, resulting in the likelihood of a long wait for assistance. The National Safety Council estimates that one in three adults over 65 falls in any given year, the primary causes being uneven floors, stairs, clutter, and poor lighting. Smooth, hard surfaces such as terrazzo are easier for older travelers to use if they are pushing a baggage cart, and are less likely to cause tripping than carpet. Lighting levels in many airports have been lowered for energy conservation reasons, but this can have a negative impact on the elderly, not just in avoid- ing accidents but in reading signage. certain situations they may only add to the general cacoph- ony. Walking fatigue may also increase the likelihood of trip- ping and falling, which can be a serious problem for older persons. Reliance on mechanized means of easing travel for the elderly, whether horizontally (by means of moving walk- ways) or vertically (via elevators and escalators) raises issues of reliability. An out-of-commission moving walkway, for example, may not only translate into a very long walk but might also result in passengers missing their connections. Many airports group escalators and walkways in threes to minimize the risk of mechanical failure, with the added ben- efit that they can accommodate directional flows as appro- priate (Figure 11). Elevators are generally grouped in twos, at least. In any event, operational issues of monitoring and rapid response are part of any decision to install mechanized movement systems. Motorized carts are another common method of reduc- ing the impact of walking, but their operation tends to be haphazard. One respondent’s airport had formalized the service into a mini-transit system, with clearly identified stops and seating for waiting elderly or disabled passengers. Another airport had gone further by developing what it called a “compact transit system” of carts, with separate lanes in some locations for pedestrians, moving walkways, and carts. The availability of carts is particularly important for passen- gers making connections, although booking flights in seg- ments should enable travelers to plan for adequate layovers between flights. FIGURE 11 Elevators supplementing escalators (ACRP Report 10).

15 CONCESSIONS AND AMENITIES Because of an abundance of merchandise, airport conces- sions can be challenging for the elderly to navigate. To ensure optimum accessibility, one airport revised its contracts with concessionaires to require them to meet the same, more strin- gent standards for corridor widths, etc., as the public areas of the terminal. Amenities offered at the surveyed airports that are especially relevant to the aging traveler included quiet rooms, some even containing a hospital-type bed; and on- site medical facilities. Wheelchair services were offered at all the airports. Upon arriving at the gate, the elderly passenger needs a place to sit and relax. The evolution of hold room function- ality and design taking place in the industry recognizes the differing requirements of passengers and would be beneficial overall. It was reported that some of the lounge-type seat- ing being installed in hold rooms can be challenging for an elderly person to get in and out of easily. Most of the airports surveyed said they had set aside hold room seating for the disabled that also served the elderly, but that it was often taken up by regular passengers (Figure 12). Inadequate spac- ing between rows of seats was identified as a problem. The difficulty in hearing gate announcements was also mentioned several times, with the suggestion that boarding groups and other information be proffered visually as well as audibly (see Table 3). FIGURE 12 Crowded hold room. TABLE 3 CHAPTER FIVE SUMMARY Issues: Obstacles: Strategies: Wayfinding - Reducing signage clutter - Differentiating between public service and commercial signs - Large, unadorned, illuminated fonts for directional signs - Grouped information sources, FIDS, staffed position, touch screen, maps, etc. - Airport-specific wayfinding applications for smart phones - Use of symbols on signs - Two-way visual paging Transitioning Between Floor Levels - Providing more elevator alternatives to escalators - Programming elevators to be “open door” - Use of ramps and 1:20 gradient sloped floors - Increasing length of escalator flat sections - Adding audio alerts at top of escalators (continued on next page)

16 public spaces - Providing quiet rooms - Providing on-site medical services Hold Room Issues - Designated seating for the elderly - Wider spacing between rows of seats - Visual as well as audio gate announcements - Elder-appropriate seating ICON KEY Capital Cost to Implement. Operational Costs/Staff Required. Existing Buildings Constraints/Disruption. No Obstacles to Implementation. - Greater provision of wheelchairs - Use of scooters - Provision of seating “way stations” along concourses - Improved baggage cart design Using Concessions and Amenities - Requiring concessions to provide the same accessibility as Issues: Obstacles: Strategies: Long Walking Distances - Moving walks with audible alerts at each end - Organization of motorized carts into a “transit system” for the elderly and disabled TABLE 3 (continued)