BUFFALO, N.Y. (WBEN) - In an effort to help those who are visually impaired, the Buffalo Niagara International Airport and the Niagara Falls International Airport have partnered with Aira, a program that connects travelers who are blind with a trained agent, who will assist them using live video with GPS and maps to guide them through the airport.
"An airport is full of information you acquire visually," Sassy Outwater-Wright, who is blind, said. "When I travel through airports I generally have three choices: Go alone and ask for directions along the way and remember what I can or ask for assistance from somebody who may not know my individual preferences, needs, or desires, or call an Aira agent. I call the Aira agent nine times out of ten because I get the information that I need to make the decisions I need for my lifestyle and my needs."
Aira connects a person through glasses or through a phone camera to an agent who is specifically dedicated to work with that agent. The agent uses a combination of maps and feedback from video cameras to communicate with the person who is blind.
"It doesn't replace my cane or my dog or any mobility tool," Outwater-Wright said. "It is an informational gathering tool that enables me to fly through airports just like any other traveler. It's a game changer for me."