The sky without barriers

Image: airport busy crowd

The Civil Aviation Authority of the United Kingdom (CAA) published a report on the work to improve conditions for passengers with disabilities in 29 major British airports. We are talking about services that airports can provide to passengers with hidden disabilities such as autism, dementia and hearing loss and many other conditions that are not immediately obvious.

The authors of the report emphasize: such improvements are necessary, since every year the number of people with disabilities who use air transport is increasing.

Matt Buffey, Head of Consumer Protection at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “Record numbers of passengers with disabilities are travelling through UK airports, and so its hugely important that the assistance meets their particular needs.
“We know that people with hidden disabilities can find airports difficult and stressful places, in particular the security search, and we are pleased to see how well airports have responded in improving the assistance they offer and tailoring to the needs of people with hidden disabilities”

Image: services for disabled passengers in Heathrow airport — Services for passengers with special needs at Heathrow Airport, London (source)

Among such measures, the CAA notes:

- Giving passengers the option to wear a lanyard or wristband (or other discreet identifier) to help make staff aware that they might need extra help at the security search area or elsewhere in the airport

Image: children wearing special lanyard — Source

- Providing enhanced disability awareness training packages for key customer facing staff, including those at security search areas, as well as those who provide direct assistance to disabled people
- Introducing family or assistance security lanes, which passengers with hidden disabilities can use, which provide a less stressful and rushed experience
- Publishing a wide range of accessible information for people with hidden disabilities, including pictorial guides, videos and other online guides on what to expect at the airport, especially at the security search stage

Image: information note about services for disabled passengers — Source

- Consulting with disability organisations, including those representing people with hidden disabilities, on how the design of the assistance service can best meet the needs of this group. and how it can best meet the needs of this group of passengers.

According to the CAA, in the UK there are 700 thousand people with autism, 850 thousand people with dementia, 11 million people have hearing impairments.