Lifting barriers: Airlines and airports told to deliver improved journeys for disabled travellers
July 17, 2025
UK airports and airlines are being urged to raise the bar for disabled travellers, as a government-backed expert group outlines a package of reforms to make air travel more inclusive.
The Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group, set up in late 2024 and chaired by Paralympian and campaigner Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, has published a report setting out 19 proposed actions to address the most pressing barriers disabled passengers face.
These range from inconsistent staff training to poor communication and lack of clarity around complaints and mobility aid handling.
Grey-Thompson said: “This report is the next critical step in making air travel more inclusive for disabled people.
“There’s more work to be done, and I look forward to seeing these recommendations turned into action.”
Group urges aviation industry to improve experience for disabled travellers
The group is calling for industry-wide disability awareness training designed with input from disabled people, covering all aviation roles, from flight crew to security and hospitality staff.
Clearer and more accessible information about assistance services, both online and within terminals, also features on the list.
Passengers should be given better access to details on complaint processes, and the Civil Aviation Authority is being urged to enhance its oversight of airport accessibility performance, building on its current annual report.
This follows the CAA’s most recent report, which found the majority of UK airports meeting their legal obligations.
However, three airports – London Heathrow, Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow Prestwick – have been flagged as needing improvement.
The group will now work to push these recommendations forward, and will report annually to the Department for Transport to showcase progress on the delivery of the recommendations.
‘Demand for assistance services continues to increase’
Tim Alderslade, chief executive of Airlines UK, welcomed the report and said that as “demand for assistance services continues to increase, airlines remain committed to removing barriers so that flying is accessible to all who wish to travel”.
Karen Dee, chief executive of AirportsUK, said that airports “continue to work extremely hard to provide the services required by passengers with additional needs, both visible and non-visible, on which they are assessed every year by the CAA, the UK regulator”.
“The recommendations in this report will help build on the work already being done by airports and the wider sector to ensure air travel is accessible to all,” she added.
