All Wheels Up (AWU), a non-profit organisation striving to improve the standards of accessibility in air travel, has begun a new initiative to offer Complaints Resolution Official (CRO) training and services to the airline industry. As a non-profit built for the disability community, AWU says it is the “perfect organisation” when it comes to training airline CROs or providing CRO services.
Airlines, especially those with large passenger volumes, routinely face regulatory requirements to address customer complaints in a timely and compliant manner. Engaging an in-house or contracted CRO is a common strategy for airlines to ensure they meet US Department of Transportation standards. Without proper training, air carriers can fall short of the required standard and incur large fines for non-compliance.
AWU’s initiative aims to ensure regulatory compliance, enhance customer service for travellers with disabilities, and support airlines in meeting Federal requirements.
“As a non-profit built exclusively for making air travel accessible for all, it makes sense that we use our resources and expertise to provide this important advocacy training,” said Michele Erwin, founder and CEO of All Wheels Up. “This is a service that I have wanted the organisation to provide for a while, and we now have the ability to provide the best training possible to carriers of all sizes.”
The main objectives of AWU’s CRO training and services initiative are:
- To provide certified CRO services for airlines lacking in-house officials, ensuring 24/7 compliance support
- To deliver expert CRO training courses for airline staff to maintain high accessibility standards and regulatory compliance
- To offer scalable pricing structures for both CRO training and ongoing CRO services, accommodating the budgets of air carriers of all sizes.
The AWU training curriculum covers:
- US DOT regulations and 14 CFR Part 382 of the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA)
- Disability rights and reasonable accommodations
- Complaint handling and resolution processes
- Customer service best practices for assisting travellers with disabilities
The AWU training initiative is led by Stephanie Lanza-Efthimiou, who is a retired JetBlue customer accessibility team member and CRO trainer. She has worked in the commercial airline industry for 17 years as an ACAA Expert ADA coordinator and accessibility Advocate. She is also an active AWU board member.
“Stephanie brings priceless experience and skill to this role,” said Michele Erwin. “She asked why we weren’t providing this training. It makes sense that this organisation steps up and offers training that is all-encompassing and user friendly.”
“This is an important issue for everyone in the industry,” added Lanza- Efthimiou. “I am eager to start offering this crucial training very soon to our clients to ensure they are doing everything in their power to provide equity in the skies.”
To learn more about AWU’s curriculum of CRO training programmes and a breakdown of costs, visit www.allwheelsup.org
