BUSINESS NEWS


Almost seven in 10 passengers with disabilities say they are satisfied with the flight and airport experience


Disabled travellers report mixed flying experiences


CAA notes rise in number of passengers requesting assistance. By Ian Taylor


Air passengers with accessibility needs are less satisfied with the experience of air travel than able consumers, according to Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) research. But they are more satisfied with air travel than other forms of transport. A survey of 3,500 UK adults,


conducted last autumn, found 61% had flown in the previous 12 months, eight percentage points up year on year, but only 41% of those with disabilities had flown. Two-thirds of people with


disabilities who had flown (69%) said they were satisfied with the flight


48 12 JUNE 2025


and airport experience compared with 78% of all air travellers. But this compared favourably with satisfaction rates on other forms of transport – 54% on trams, tubes and buses and 51% on railways. Three out of five respondents


with a disability (59%) reported difficulty in using airports, the same as the previous year. But the CAA found “marked improvements across the airport experience, especially at the end of the journey”. Those with disabilities were


least satisfied with airport shops and services and the experience at


boarding gates, and most satisfied with airport security and finding their gate. However, the biggest improvement year on year was in satisfaction with airport baggage collection – up 17 percentage points year on year. The survey found the proportion


of disabled passengers requiring assistance had risen, up four percentage points year on year to 71%, with those with physical disabilities or health conditions most likely to seek help. However, the increase in assistance


Continued on page 46 travelweekly.co.uk


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PICTURE: Shutterstock/Olena Yakobchuk


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