#AccesstoAir
We strongly believe that everyone should have access to air travel, and we welcome the substantial improvements that airports have made for those passengers that are living with a disability or reduced mobility.
We work with industry to make this happen by promoting special assistance and improving the consistency of the service.
Accessibility Framework
We have published guidance on quality standards for assistance at UK airports. It is imperative that airports set appropriate quality standards for this assistance to ensure that it is delivered to an acceptable standard.
The framework ranks airports on their performance for passengers requiring assistance. It's the first of its kind globally, and has overseen millions of pounds of investment made by airports toward improving consumers' experiences.
Reports
Airport accessibility reports
A key requirement of our airport accessibility framework is for airports to provide robust and complete data to us on the ‘waiting times’ experienced by disabled and less mobile passengers. This enables the airport and the Civil Aviation Authority to monitor performance so as to ensure that passengers that need assistance are not unduly delayed on departure and on arrival.
- Airport accessibility performance report 2023/2024
- Airport accessibility report – 2022/23
- Airport accessibility report April - October 2022
- Airport accessibility report 2019/20
- Airport accessibility report 2018/19
- Airport accessibility report 2017/18
- Airport accessibility report 2016/17
- Airport accessibility report 2015/16
- Supporting people with hidden disabilities at UK airports
Airline digital accessibility
Earlier this year, we commissioned Hassell Inclusion to undertake a targeted website accessibility audit of eleven airlines. These airlines were selected for providing air transport services for the highest volume of passengers across UK airports, including considering the proportion of flights provided across the major regional airports.
Engagement with industry
Our own reporting framework alerts us when many more disabled and less mobile passengers have had to wait longer for assistance than usual. In these instances, we have reached out to industry to encourage and drive improvement.
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