Heathrow welcomes millions of passengers every year. Now, thanks to a new partnership with Convo, it is also one of the most communication-accessible airports in the UK for deaf British Sign Language users with live BSL interpreting available on demand, anywhere in the airport, in seconds.
The problem this solves
For many deaf travellers, airports are one of the most stressful environments to navigate. Gate changes, last-minute announcements, security questions, lost luggage, missed connections. The moments when communication matters most are often the moments it breaks down.
Steph Lotz, General Manager of Convo UK, has lived it:
"As a Deaf person, I have been in airports where something changes. A gate moves or an announcement is made and everyone around me can respond instantly while I am left trying to catch up or find a way to communicate. That is not a small inconvenience, it is a barrier. This partnership with Heathrow removes that barrier by making communication available in real time, without the need to plan ahead or rely on workarounds. It is a simple shift, but it changes the entire experience."
How it works
The partnership delivers accessible communication in two ways:
Before passengers arrive. Heathrow's customer support is now available through Convo's community directory on the Convo Now app and web platform. Deaf BSL users can connect with Heathrow's support team via a qualified BSL interpreter from anywhere to plan a journey, ask a question, or resolve an issue before they ever reach the terminal.
Throughout the airport. Convo Access QR codes are displayed in key locations across Heathrow. A Deaf passenger scans the code with their own device, and a qualified BSL interpreter appears on screen instantly ready to facilitate a face-to-face conversation with Heathrow staff. No appointments. No waiting. No communication barriers.
That is the difference between accessibility as an afterthought and accessibility as infrastructure.
Why this matters for the Deaf community
We are currently gathering stories from Deaf travelers about their airport experiences. The good, the frustrating, and the moments where access made a real difference. If you are a Convo user and would like to share your story, we would love to hear from you.
Please email your story submission to marketing-uk@convo.io with the subject line “Heathrow Story”
Why this matters for businesses
If you run a venue, a transport hub, a retail estate, or any service that meets the public, the Heathrow partnership is a working model of what accessible communication can look like at scale.
The case for it is straightforward:
- Customer experience. A Deaf customer who can communicate instantly is a Deaf customer who completes their journey, their purchase, or their booking without needing to be handed off, rebooked, or apologised to.
- Brand and reputation. Accessibility is increasingly visible in customer reviews, social media, and procurement criteria. Visible inclusion is no longer a nice-to-have.
- Compliance and risk. UK organisations have clear obligations under the Equality Act 2010. On-demand BSL interpreting via Convo Access provides a documented, reliable way to meet those obligations in real time.
- Speed to deploy. Convo Access works on any smartphone. No new hardware, no specialist installations. Just QR codes in the right places and a good internet connection.
For Heathrow, this partnership strengthens an already world-class commitment to inclusive customer service. For Convo, it is a milestone in our work embedding accessible communication into the UK's national infrastructure alongside public and private sector partners who want to lead, not catch up.
Build accessibility into your customer experience
Convo is Deaf-owned, Deaf-led, and trusted by the Deaf community we serve. We work with partners across transport, retail, hospitality, healthcare, and the public sector to make communication seamless for Deaf customers and easier for the teams who serve them.
If you would like to explore what a Convo partnership could look like for your organisation, we would love to start the conversation.
Book a Discovery Call
We’ll walk you through exactly how it works.
Schedule a meeting with Joanne, our Director of Corporate Partnerships.
See Convo in Action
Prefer to explore first? Check out the links below.
