Vueling debuts new inclusive travel functionality for those with communication challenges

Carrier partners with Hearlo app

 Vueling, part of IAG, has unveiled new features for inclusive travel through a new partnership with Hearlo, an assistive communication app by Spanish start-up Asteroid Technologies.

The carrier has worked on its offerings for passengers with hearing or verbal communication difficulties.

The new integration across Vueling’s in-flight experience will enable passengers to communicate independently with cabin crew and airport staff, using features such as text-to-speech translation, visual pictograms, and pre-set travel phrases available in over ten languages. Languages such as Spanish, Hindi and Arabic will be available. 

It works fully offline to ensure accessibility throughout the entire journey - even at 35,000 feet.

It also has functionalities such as instant translation or voice recognition.

Free to use, the application has been designed with a chat function, a visual library of common messages illustrated with pictograms for easier understandings, shortcuts and phrases, and an interactive step-by-step travel guide explaining each part of the flying process.

The partnership is said to form part of Vueling’s wider commitment to improving accessibility across its operations as the airline states it "already provides dedicated support for passengers with reduced mobility and specific assistance for those with additional needs".

The Hearlo app is free to download from Google Play or the App Store.