Sydney Airport offers free Aira service for visually-impaired

Smartphone technology is making travel easier for visually-impaired people, who are using video calls as part of a service guiding them around places like Sydney Airport.

Jack Tyrrell trialling Aira at Sydney Airport.

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Smartphone technology is making travel easier for visually-impaired people, who are using video calls as part of a service guiding them around places like Sydney Airport.

The Aira phone app allows people who are blind or have low vision to talk to a trained agent, who can guide them by seeing the live footage of the former’s phone.

Aira representatives say their staff are skilled at guiding visually-impaired people and helping with tasks such as reading signs and navigating busy areas like airports.

While Aira charges by the minute for the service, travellers using it at Sydney Airport can do so for free.

Sydney Airport CEO Geoff Culbert said visually-impaired people would benefit significantly from the service, following a trial at the airport.

Sydney Airport can be daunting. Picture: Liam Driver

Jack Tyrrell has been among those to use Aira at the airport.

“When I need to go to the airport, I normally just go straight from the train station to my boarding gate, as I’m not able to distinguish what’s around,” he said.

Phone technology already plays a role for many customers before boarding flights. Picture: Bianca De Marchi

He said the service helped him learn where things were.

Vision Australia has endorsed the service.

Its government relations manager Chris Edwards said he hoped more businesses and governments could cover the costs for people using the service.

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