The UK Civil Aviation Authority has called for views from disability rights groups and the aviation industry on a proposed framework to improve airline experiences for disabled and less mobile passengers. The consultation is running until July 21, 2023.
The regulator’s framework would rank the performance of airlines based on their service for these passengers, from booking flight tickets and assistance at the airport, through to their onboard experience and complaints handling. Ratings would include consideration of access around requesting assistance, onboard facilities including seating and toilets, as well as boarding and disembarking. The framework also sets standards for bringing assistance dogs onto flights, along with providing guidance on how airlines should handle mobility equipment and providing compensation when it is lost or damaged.
The initiative would carry out assessments on all UK and non-UK airlines that operate to the UK, with the outcome of these assessments being made public. It follows the introduction of a similar framework for airports in 2014, which the CAA reports has driven airports to spend millions of pounds improving experiences for passengers with reduced mobility.
Anna Bowles, head of consumer at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said, “Our proposals to introduce this new framework are about holding airlines to account in meeting their obligations to disabled and less mobile passengers across all aspects of their journey. Consumers should have confidence that the standard of support they receive when flying will meet their needs. Assessing airlines against a standardized framework will ensure that disabled and less mobile passengers will be better informed when they choose which airline to fly with and will highlight areas where airlines need to do better. To make the framework as effective as possible, we’re asking for feedback from individuals, disability rights groups and the industry to help shape our plans.”
Josh Wintersgill, founder and director of Able Move, said, “This consultation is a great opportunity for people to share their constructive feedback to help influence and shape the framework further. A tremendous amount of work has gone into it thus far, and the framework is very much welcomed. While only guidance, it is hoped it would enable the UK Civil Aviation Authority to better monitor airline performance and hold airlines to greater public accountability just like UK airports are today, which has shown improvements, but perhaps not at the pace which people expect.”
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