If a traveler can't check in, they might not fly, and online check-in hides several barriers that stop screen readers cold. Michael Taylor is blind and navigates the web, including travel booking, wtih this assistive technology a screenreader. Fifth in Michael Taylor's five-part series on airline booking accessibility this post documents the barriers Michael runs into, so companies whether in travel or not, can use as advise to check their own sites.
Before a flight, every traveler has to check in to confirm they still plan to make the trip. Basically every airline site has a section just for pre-flight check-in, and I've hit accessibility trouble using them. In this post I'll walk through the check-in barriers I run into most. As with all my content, this is only about screen reader accessibility.
Text Field Troubles
Check-in is simple in theory. The first step is usually entering something basic like a flight or confirmation number and a departure airport. But the text fields on these screens have given me real trouble.
For one, the fields are sometimes set to read-only by default. A read-only field tells my screen reader the box can't be edited, only read back, which is clearly a bug on a field that's obviously meant to be filled in.
The field label often includes an example of what to enter, which my screen reader reads out, but the example isn't always right. Say an airline's confirmation numbers are all twelve digits, and the field's example shows only nine. Those examples only help me if they match the exact entry the field wants, because that's how I confirm I filled it in correctly before submitting. When they're wrong, the feature is useless.
Selecting Search Type
Most airlines let you look up your flight a few ways: by flight or confirmation number, the last four digits of the card used, or a rewards account number. The usual control for choosing is a pop-up menu, and it comes with a few recurring problems.
Sometimes the selection snaps back to the default after I open the menu, make a choice, and confirm it. That leads to errors, because I end up entering the wrong type of reference number. On my phone, swiping through the menu options often closes the menu at random before I'm done, which is maddening.
Other times my screen reader misreports which option is set once the menu is closed. Say it defaults to confirmation number and I want the last four of my card, so I open the menu, switch it, which closes the menu, and move focus back to the button to check. My screen reader still says confirmation number even though the card option is what's shown on screen.
That kicks off a loop. I think my change didn't take, so I redo the same steps several more times, even though it actually worked the first time.
Informational Tips
When I'm looking up a flight by confirmation number, some sites offer a tip explaining where to find that number and what to do if I can't. That's genuinely useful, because a lot of time can pass between buying a flight and actually traveling, and I don't always remember how the number was sent.
The problem is that the little icon button that opens the tip is often unlabeled, so my screen reader gives me no sign it's even there. The button that closes the tip usually has the same labeling issue.
Check-in matters as much as the original purchase, because if I can't check in, I might not make my flight. On the airline sites I've used, at least one of these steps has tripped me up nearly every time.
Airline Online Check-In Accessibility: FAQ
Why are read-only fields an accessibility problem at check-in?
A read-only field tells a screen reader that a box can't be edited, only read back. When a check-in field that's meant to be filled in is set to read-only by mistake, a blind traveler can't enter their confirmation number at all. It's a discrete, testable bug on any input that should accept typing, and looking for it is part of bringing an accessibility mindset to everyday QA.
What happens when a dropdown reverts to its default for screen reader users?
When a selection reverts to its default, a screen reader user can end up submitting the wrong choice without knowing. Michael describes switching a lookup type, having it silently snap back, and his screen reader still reporting the old value, which sends him in circles. UsableNet's step-by-step guide to a web accessibility audit covers how to verify that a control announces its current state after selection.
How do unlabeled icon buttons affect screen reader users?
Unlabeled icon buttons are effectively invisible to screen readers, because there's no text for the assistive technology to announce. Michael misses helpful features like confirmation-number tips entirely when their open and close buttons aren't labeled in the code. An automated accessibility testing tool flags missing button labels fast.
Check-in barriers like read-only fields and unlabeled buttons are the same issues that draw ADA web accessibility claims, and partial fixes don't remove the exposure.
UsableNet's Accessibility as a Service pairs an expert WCAG 2.2 AA audit with a prioritized remediation plan your team implements, backed by testing from people who use assistive technology and litigation support. If a screen reader can't complete check-in, talk to a UsableNet accessibility expert.
Related in this series: Flight Search Fields That Fail Screen Reader Users, Flight Filters That Break for Screen Reader Users, Comparing Flight Results while Blind. and Booking and Seat Selection.
