Continental Airlines Leads way for Customers with Disabilities

With several airline companies still struggling to stay afloat and desparately trying to figure out ways to save money, Continental Airlines has learned the value of marketing to customers with disabilities and is considered the leader in today's disability market. The reason for this is the recent creation of the Customers with Disabilities Advisory Board (CDAB). In 2008, with the help and dedication of Bill Burnell, the manager of Customer First & Regulatory Programs for Continental Arlines in Houston, the CDAB was born with a goal of improving the overall airport/airline expereince for its guests with disabilities. By taking better care of these special needs travelers and catering to thier needs, Continental hopes to attract more of these cutomers. The CDAB has met three times since its inception and has already made great progress, attracting the interest and praise of airport managers, airline administrators, and federal agencies such as the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The entire board, made up of people with a variety of disabilities from vision impairment to paraplegia, is excited about the future of airline travel and the prgress made at Continental. With any luck, other airlines will follow suit in the near future. And with Continental, now the top rated airline in customer service for people with disabilities, leading the way, they hope to see the progress spread thorughout the entire airline industry.