OE Patients

Tag: Aira Guest Access

  • Aira At The Airport

    Aira At The Airport

    There are challenges involved in traveling through airports, always, for everyone. Add a visual impairment to the mix and you’ve got an excellent excuse to just stay at home. A travel companion could solve a lot of the problems, but there isn’t always one available. You can request assistance at the airport, but it may arrive holding a sign you cannot read and pushing a wheelchair you do not need.

    For a while now we’ve been thinking the best solution to navigating the inside of an airport would come in the form of an interior mapping system and a really, really smart digital assistant. As much as we love the incredible strides technology is helping us take, navigation systems and digital assistants have not yet proven to be precise enough for this task. While we were waiting patiently for that, we started hearing about something called Aira (pronounced I-ra), a technology that depends on humans for accuracy.

    Travelers in London Heathrow Airport.
    Travelers in London Heathrow Airport.

    How Aira Works

    Turns out, that even in this intensely technological time, people still provide the most dependable source of assistance. Imagine that. Aira is a service that connects you with an agent via smartphone for live remote assistance, they call it “visual interpreting.” This independence-enhancing accessibility solution could possibly take the pain out of asking for help. You are not disturbing anyone; it is exactly what they are there to do.

    The agents are trained to guide you. They can see a 120-degree view through the camera of your phone, much more than you’re seeing. Aira customers are called “Explorers,” and that makes it sound a little like we’re playing a game, but why not, perhaps it will make airport travel fun again.

    How Much Aira Costs

    Aira is a subscription service, now starting at $29 a month for 30 minutes with an agent, $99 for 120 minutes, and up from there. The service is accessed by a mobile app. Paying subscribers can call an agent for assistance navigating through any airport within the service area of North America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.

    Where Aira is Free

    There is also a network of airports that subscribe to Aira and provide free guest access to their customers. At last count, 50+ airports were actively participating in the Aira Network including JFK International, LaGuardia, Newark, Syracuse, Boston Logan, Charlotte Douglas, Dallas Love Field, and Toronto Pearson. A complete list of free airport locations seemed to be elusive. A representative from Aira suggested using the in-app search to find all locations on the network, but that did not render a list either. When in doubt, we suggest calling an agent on the app, or Aira customer service at one of the phone numbers listed below, to confirm if the airport you’re heading to provides the visual interpreting service for free.

    Get started with the Aira app on the App Store and on Google Play.

    Website: Aira

    Customer Service:

    North America: 800.835.1934

    Australia: 800.765.096 

    United Kingdom: 800.046.5668 

    New Zealand: 800.425.451

    This post was originally published on Jan 17, 2019, and updated on Jul 14, 2022.

    Note: We receive no compensation from organizations, products or services mentioned on OE Patients.

     

  • Aira Adds A Free Tier

    Aira Adds A Free Tier

    The free tier of service described in this post ended in August 2020, for updated article on Aira services, go to Aira is Remote Visual Assistance.

    Independence is a prideful thing, asking for help is not always easy. Getting help, when you need it, is also a challenge. It can be a recurring conundrum for people with vision loss. In a move, that might nicely serve this need, Aira recently announced the addition of a new free tier of service. All calls to Aira agents under 5 minutes are free. Aira is a service that connects people with low vision or blindness to specially trained agents in the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. You’re not bothering them, they want you to call, it’s what they do. They offer another pair of eyes, when you need them.

    The announcement came to me in a text message as I was preparing dinner a few weeks ago. It said, “Big Aira news: short calls with Aira agents are now free, every day. Great for quick 5 minute tasks around the house, try it now!” So I did. It just so happened, I was wondering if my oven temperature was set correctly, one of those tasks only a better eye than mine can determine. The agent answered immediately and greeted me by name. She asked that I move the phone camera slightly to the left, and then right, before confirming the settings were accurate. I’ve also called upon Aira for help in the supermarket to read product packaging and Use or Sell By dates. When I couldn’t find an address in an unfamiliar location, a quick call to an agent helped me get right to the door.

    Screenshot of Aira app home page.
    Screenshot of Aira app home page.

    The App

    Access to Aira’s free services requires an app. Create an account and sign in as a Guest. The app will tell you what Aira Access Location are in your vicinity. In Access Locations, which include Bank of America, Walgreens, AT&T, select airports (read Aira At The Airport) and transit systems, like all of Boston’s MBTA railroad, subway and bus stops, the service is paid for by the location and you enjoy guest access for free. If you already have an Aira account, you’re good to go, just make sure you have the latest version of the app.

    Optional Upgrade To A Monthly Plan

    For calls that require more than 5 minutes you can upgrade to a monthly plan, starting at $29 for 30 minutes, to $199 for 300 minutes. There are no contracts and plans can be increased as needed. Service can be upgraded in the app or with a free call to an agent. Paying members, called ‘Explorers,’ still get the first 5 minutes of every call free.  

    You may find great value in a plan that enables you to take a guided stroll through a museum, rediscover your neighborhood restaurants and shops, or get help navigating an airport that is not yet a free access location. The possibilities are endless.

    Smart Glasses

    The Aira service is not limited to smartphone users, it can also be accessed by Explorers using smart glasses. This is an option some smartphone users may also prefer, as it allows relatively hands free access. For more information on Aira with smart glasses speak to an agent or call 800-835-1934.

    Tell Aira Where You Want Guest Access

    To sponsor more free service and expand inclusivity, Aira needs to build their Guest Access Network. The most significant impact comes from businesses with many locations. If you know of a someone with interest in making Aira’s services available to their customers, send that information to: [email protected]. 

    Website: Aira.io

    Phone: 800-835-1934