BAA accessibility statement

BAA is committed to meeting the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act and makes every effort to ensure its communications are accessible to those with special needs, including those with visual, hearing, cognitive and motor impairments.

We have strived to make this website adhere to priority 1, 2 and 3 guidelines of the W3 Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. The site was built in consultation with AbiltyNet, a body of Website experts brought together by the Foundation for Communication for the Disabled, and the Computability Centre - both leading charities working in the field of assistive technology for disabled people.

The code used to create the site validates as HTML 4 Transitional, and the CSS has also been validated. The pages use structured semantic markup where necessary. Screen reader users can skip through the header hierarchy by using ALT+INSERT+2, ALT+INSERT+3 and so on.

Access Keys
Most modern browsers support jumping to specific links by typing an ‘access key’. On Windows, you do this by pressing ALT + the access key; on Macintosh, you press Control + the access key. Our access keys follow UK government guidelines.

S - Skip navigation
1 – Home
2 – Sitemap
4 - Search
6 - Help
8 - Terms and conditions
9 - Contact us

These access keys take you to the relevant page in the subsite you are visiting (for example Heathrow, Gatwick, BAA’s corporate site, etc).

Links
Many links have title attributes which describe the link in greater detail, and in the majority of cases the text of the link already fully describes the target. Wherever possible, links are written to make sense out of context. Many browsers (such as JAWS, Home Page Reader, Lynx and Opera) can extract the list of links on a page and allow you to browse the links separately from the page.

Link text is never duplicated. Two links on the same page with the same link text always point to the same address.

Some links on the site will open a new browser window (when the link target is on a non-BAA site). New windows are never opened without either a warning in the text or in the ‘title’ attribute of the link.

PDFs
We continually make efforts to minimise the number of PDFs on the site. Where they appear, they are accompanied by a link to the Adobe site where you can download free Acrobat Reader software, allowing you to view these documents. Adobe has recently updated its free reader to include screenreading functionality.

Help with Finding Content
The site has been structured such that there are core sections relating to each of  BAA’s seven UK airports, and others for BAA’s corporate and business to business activities. We have provided a site map for visitors.

Every page of the site features a ‘Help’ button at the top. Our Help section exists for the express purpose of helping you find your way to key information in the site. It also features tips on how to use Search on the site.

Links to our policies, including our Privacy Statement, our Terms & Conditions and this Accessibility Statement appear at the bottom of every page.

Images
Decorative and functional images feature null ALT attributes. Other images on the site include descriptive ALT attributes.

Moving Images and Text
None of BAA’s content includes blinking or text or images, and none of the site will cause your screen to flicker. Animation has been kept to a minimum, and is generally illustrative of content already on the site. Where animation is more than illustrative, transcripts and audio files are provided alongside.

Video and Audio
Where core BAA content is relayed through audio and/or video files, these files are accompanied by PDF transcripts.

Colour
Foreground and background colours contrast well throughout the site, with the majority of content appearing black on white. Colour is never used as a sole method of grouping data.

Layout
The site is free of frames and uses a cascading style sheet for visual layout. Tables are used for tabular data, but we have avoided using them to dictate the layout of a page wherever possible.

The stylesheet uses relative font sizes and is written to display pages correctly in most commonly-used browsers. In early versions of browsers and browsing devices that do not support stylesheets at all, the flow of the content has been tested to ensure it entirely retains its sense.

Javascript
The site has been configured to allow users access to its full range of functionality whether or not they have javascript enabled in their browsers. Where javascript is used, it is only used to enhance the user experience. It is never essential.

Optimising Your Setup for Your Needs
AblilityNet offers helpful advice for setting up your computer to suit your needs: My Computer My Way is a guide to making your PC accessible. The site offers help with seeing the screen, using your keyboard and mouse, and with language and reading.