Skyscanner's Alice Edwards on making disability inclusion the default

myGwork speaks with Skyscanner employee Alice Edwards about accessibility advocacy, internalised ableism, and the misconception that reasonable adjustments are “special treatment” rather than equal access. Topics also discussed include practical ways society, workplaces, and events can become more inclusive, and the realities of living with a hidden disability.

Can you share a personal story or experience that illustrates the unique challenges and triumphs you've encountered as a person living with a disability?

As someone with a hidden disability I have often had to overly explain myself in needing an accommodation.

Recently I was on a 3 hour train in which I had booked a seat for the journey – however the train was very full and there were people in my seat. When I asked them to move, they explained that someone else was sitting in their seats, and they had already been moved 3 times and were unwilling to move again unless train staff made them. I felt for their plight, but at the same time my legs were shaking from standing and I couldn’t walk around a full train hoping to find staff to help me. I had to stand up for myself.

I mentioned (reluctantly) that I have a disability and would be unable to make the entire journey without a seat – looking to make some sort of compromise. They immediately apologised and left to find seats elsewhere.

The situation as a whole left me uncomfortable because I felt like I had played the ‘disability card’ and without my sunflower lanyard people could accuse me of faking.

I felt guilt at sending these poor people struggling to find seats again on a full train when it was not their fault. In my experience working with others with disabilities this guilt is all too common – asking for support can feel like inconveniencing others or seeking special treatment, particularly when there is a fear that reasonable adjustments will be seen as an advantage rather than what they are: a way to create equal access and opportunity.

That perception can also become internalised. I know someone who initially felt that taking ADHD medication was “cheating” because it made everyday functioning possible at a completely different level. In reality, the medication was not giving them an unfair advantage; it was reducing a barrier that others did not face.

For me, this experience illustrates both the challenge and the triumph of living with a hidden disability. The challenge is having to disclose and justify needs that are not immediately visible, while managing the guilt and fear of being misunderstood. My win in this scenario recognising that I was entitled to the seat I had booked and advocating for what I needed, even when doing so felt uncomfortable. It reminded me that asking for equal access is not asking for an advantage.

In what ways do you believe society can improve in terms of creating a more inclusive and accessible environment for people with disabilities?

The main thing I feel that society needs is to make inclusivity the default in a way that helps everyone, rather than something that those of us with disabilities need to ask for exceptions to access.

In a perfect world there would be enough seats on transport for everyone, and when you book a seat that seat would be honoured. In our imperfect world society can start by establishing ways to help each other regardless of how you look. If you are able to stand on public transport and have a seat; don’t offer your seat just based on someone being visibly pregnant or having a walking stick, offer it based on the discomfort someone is portraying and observed need. Stereotypical markers of a disability are not the only thing to look out for.

This can apply to a variety of other scenarios too – any situation in which you might adapt something because of a perceived disability, would adapting it regardless be helpful? Could your workspace have larger meeting rooms for individual persons so that a wheelchair can fit, but also allow others to sit more comfortably? Practical solutions to city planning, workspace issues or problems in public spaces can all consider how this can help a disabled person and then carry that forward into how it can help everyone.

What specific initiatives or actions do you think organizations or communities can take to promote greater awareness and understanding of the experiences of people with disabilities?

At Skyscanner our Accessibility team is really good at running empathy labs – an interactive session that helps colleagues better understand the barriers that disabled people might face and consider how their own work can impact these barriers, positively or negatively.

This is done via simulating aspects of a disability – the aim is not to recreate the lived experience but build empathy, awareness and commitment to accessibility.

One of my favourite exercises is illustrating chronic fatigue via spoon theory. People roll a die to be assigned a number of crayons, and then have to draw four things. Each time they use a crayon they lose it and cannot use it in the next drawing. This creates some great insights into how sometimes people can’t achieve everything they need to do, but in most cases they will brute force their way through and achieve something at a lower standard than what they would want with unlimited crayons. At what point do they consider sharing crayons with others to support each other is also an interesting conversation.

How have you seen the portrayal of people with disabilities evolve in media and popular culture, and what changes do you think are still necessary in this regard?

In the past few years, I have started to notice we finally have visibility of ambulatory wheelchair users and considerations. For example – the Doctor Who 60^th anniversary specials introduced a discussion about ambulatory wheelchair use in a natural way – and resulted in finally adding a ramp to the TARDIS after 60 years of it being inaccessible. Seeing this increase in representation is really rewarding where I have seen people discriminated against for having a variable disability. There is still a way to go in seeing other even less visible disabilities represented – and ensuring that there is no representation without including a disabled person in the discussion. Making decisions on behalf of others in their representation should be a thing of the past.

I don’t have an issue with an able-bodied actor playing a disabled character – but somewhere in the process there needs to be involvement of someone with the relevant disability to ensure a fair representation.

Considering your personal journey, what advice would you give to individuals or families navigating similar experiences with disabilities?

For me one of the largest hurdles was to begin to actually see myself as disabled. Once I began accepting that label, identifying with it, and then being able to defend it against others who are dismissive I felt so much more empowered to defend my needs. This is not an easy journey to go on. To be an ally in a family the biggest impact you can have is not questioning how someone else identifies their condition.

How can businesses and workplaces improve their practices to be more inclusive and supportive of employees and customers with disabilities?

The most important thing is to include employees and customers with disabilities in decisions on improving these practises. Stop making assumptions about what will help and start actually asking. Every disability is different and there is no default solution, but anything that makes things more accessible is helpful to everyone not just those with the specific targeted disability.

Can you highlight any pressing issues or areas of concern in the LGBTQ+ community that directly affect individuals with disabilities, and what measures do you believe are necessary to address them?

Based on the most recent UK census records people with disabilities are much more likely to identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community, and yet Pride events are still (in general) not particularly accessible. The events are based first around a march – something that those of us with physical limitations can’t necessarily take part in. There is a growing interest in ‘access busses’ and transport for Pride events – but even these lack sufficient spaces for wheelchairs and result in separation from people you are with. By no means to I suggest getting rid of Pride marches – they are an innate part of the protest – but ensuring these events are supported with more accessible options is vital to truly have inclusion in a community that is entirely based on acceptance of everyone.

This year, at Edinburgh Pride, Skyscanner sponsored the Accessible Viewing Platform, a dedicated space within the Pride Festival area with seating and facilities for people with reduced mobility. It’s a step in the right direction – but there is a long way to go for Pride events to be accessible for everyone.