Source: Department for Transport published on this website Tuesday 22 March 2025 by Jill Powell
An industry and consumer expert group, tasked by government to advise on how to make flying more accessible for disabled people, has unveiled its suite of recommendations today (16 July 2025).
The expert Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group, established in November last year and led by former Paralympian and accessibility campaigner Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, has recommended 19 key actions to airlines, airports and the aviation regulator to improve accessibility when travelling through airports and onboard aircraft.
Disability awareness training developed with input from disabled people themselves should be rolled out across all aviation roles, including airline crew, assistance providers, ground services, security and hospitality staff.
Clearer passenger information is also highlighted as a necessity, ensuring people can easily access information about their travel, including how they can request and book assistance, where they can find in-airport support services and more detailed guidance on how their mobility aids will be transported along the way.
Passengers should also have easy access to transparent and straightforward information on complaint procedures. The group also recommends that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) build on its existing oversight of accessibility processes in key priority areas, such as reviewing its airport accessibility framework. It uses this to assess airports annually on how well they are performing against their legal obligations. This year’s report showed that the majority of airports assessed were performing either in the ‘good’ or ‘very good’ category.
The group will now continue its important work by driving these recommendations forward, supporting the aviation industry in adopting the recommendations and delivering a better passenger experience for disabled people. The group will report annually to the Department for Transport to showcase progress on the delivery of the recommendations.
