Stronger safeguards for wheelchair users as airlines and airports overhaul training for disabled passengers
More than 1,000 wheelchairs were damaged in transit in 2023, the Department for Transport said as it reported new industry measures on handling, training and information, alongside stronger powers in the Civil Aviation Bill now before Parliament.
Disabled air passengers are to get better protection for their wheelchairs and better trained help at airports, under industry measures reported by the Department for Transport on Monday.
The scale of the problem is set out in the department's figures. More than 1,000 wheelchairs were damaged in transit in 2023, which is more than 80 in an average month and 0.43 per cent of all the wheelchairs carried that year. For a passenger who uses a wheelchair every day, the department notes, damage can mean lost independence, missed holidays or work meetings, long waits for specialist repairs, and effects on physical and mental health.
The work follows recommendations made by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, the former Paralympian who led an investigation into aviation accessibility. It is being delivered through the Aviation Accessibility Implementation Group, a cross industry body set up by the department and led by industry with accessibility professionals. The group published its latest report on Monday.
People must be able to fly with dignity and peace of mindHeidi Alexander, Transport Secretary
A standard form introduced in March this year lets passengers pass on information about a wheelchair's battery and how it should be handled before they travel, which is meant to reduce the risk of damage in the hold. Training for airline and airport staff has been designed with disabled passengers, so that staff can recognise different needs and give the right support without passengers having to explain their condition repeatedly.
A digital platform is to be trialled through which disabled passengers can set out their support needs in advance, so that help can be ready when they arrive. The examples given include buggy assistance in the terminal, access to separate assistance queues at security, and a quiet waiting area before departure. The group is also pressing airlines and airports to coordinate their websites so that assistance information is simple to find, ideally within one click.
Airlines, airports and mobility aid manufacturers have joined forces in what the department describes as a UK first partnership, covering the safe carriage and better handling of wheelchairs and other mobility aids, in particular those powered by lithium batteries. The report also records steps taken by individual airports: London Gatwick made a disability training video last year showing staff the lived experience of disabled passengers, and Luton has introduced detailed accessibility maps and independent journey materials.
The Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said: "People must be able to fly with dignity and peace of mind."
She added: "We've backed industry to overhaul staff training, prevent damage to mobility aids and create easy, simple ways for passengers to share key information before they fly, so they can travel with greater confidence."
Tim Alderslade, the chief executive of Airlines UK, said the number of passengers asking for assistance has risen by nearly 10 per cent year on year, and that 82 per cent report that they are satisfied with their air travel experience. Karen Dee, the chief executive of AirportsUK, pointed to Civil Aviation Authority data showing that passengers rate airport accessibility services highly and that standards have improved from year to year, even as demand for the services has doubled in a decade.
Legal changes are moving in parallel. The Civil Aviation Bill, now progressing through Parliament, would let the regulator act more swiftly and strongly, including through fines, where airlines or airports fail to support disabled passengers properly. It would also remove the cap on compensation for wheelchairs and mobility aids lost or damaged on domestic flights in the UK. A consultation on a wider range of accessibility reforms is to follow within twelve months of the bill becoming law.
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