NEWS


In recent years, there have been many news stories about disturbing incidents of airports


and airlines delivering substandard and woefully inconsistent assistance to disabled passengers. These have ranged from unacceptable wait times


to be disembarked from the plane to wheelchairs and mobility aids being damaged or lost. Having carried out my own survey of disabled


Jon Fletcher FOUNDER, THE WHEELIE GOOD TRAVEL COMPANY


Air accessibility report goes only so far – now it’s time for action


travellers’ experiences at UK airports and airlines, and published my own findings in a report, I was pleased to see the then transport secretary Louise Haigh launch the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group along with the appointment of Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson as chair. The government has finally published the group’s


long-awaited report – and I have to say that my first impression on reading it was disappointment. The blame for this disappointment does not


lie with Grey-Thompson, nor with the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group. Rather, it lies at the feet of the transport secretary and the government for its failure to give the group the necessary legislative and regulatory powers to implement change. Along with other recognised


experts in the field of accessible travel, I had been invited to contribute my knowledge and expertise to the process. A group of us had a Zoom call with Grey-Thompson to give her our evidence, views and recommendations. I was pleased to see some of our


delayed by the barriers highlighted in the report. These include the frustrating reluctance of the current transport secretary, Heidi Alexander, and her government colleagues to legislate and regulate the aviation sector in any meaningful way – something which, in my view, is long overdue – to implement the necessary changes. The barriers highlighted in the report appear


to be nothing more than pitiful excuses. There is no real willingness to create an environment and culture where airports and airlines are required to improve the service and consistency that disabled travellers can reasonably expect to receive when they use airlines and airports.


“I cannot help but feel that the


transport secretary is avoiding her


responsibility to disabled travellers”


recommendations were reflected in the findings of the committee and this report. It was also good to see the report make some


suggestions for solutions which, if implemented, could improve the experience of disabled travellers immensely and create a more consistent approach across the UK’s airports and aviation industry.


Issues highlighted The value of the report is that it highlights the seriousness of the problems that disabled travellers face and shows how airports and the aviation sector are failing disabled travellers. However, I cannot help but feel that the


chances of the recommended solutions coming to fruition will be severely hampered and


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Failure to legislate I cannot help but feel that the transport secretary is avoiding her responsibility to disabled travellers by failing to legislate and regulate the air travel sector to make the recommendations of the report effective. In so doing, she is hampering improvement of the service that disabled travellers receive at UK airports and from the aviation sector. I can only hope that


she steps up to the plate and delivers the necessary legislation, and works with her counterparts around the world to improve accessibility and inclusion in air travel. I pray that we will not be in the same situation in a decade’s


time. Only time will tell. One thing is for sure: this issue is far too


important to let politicians, airports and the aviation sector avoid their responsibility and duty to improve aviation accessibility and the experience every disabled passenger can expect, whatever their level of ability. It is time that the barriers were removed, and


this important report is the first step towards that, even if it has missed its mark. We now need to see fewer excuses and the


government, the aviation industry and agents all working to create a barrier-free experience for all disabled travellers.


Read a longer version of this column: go.travelweekly.co.uk/comment


travelweekly.co.uk


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