Airport services for disabled and less mobile passengers have improved "significantly" over the last year, a report from the UK Civil Aviation Authority shows.
The aviation regulator’s Airport Accessibility Report, which assesses 26 of the UK’s largest airports, details how airports are providing disabled and less mobile passengers better service.
The report’s rankings are measured based on "providing a timely assistance service” for those travellers asking for help.
For example a "very good" ranking meant that 99 per cent of passengers who had pre-notified the airport about their need for assistance were seen within 30 minutes. Of those asking at the airport, 99 per cent had assistance within 45 minutes.
A "poor" ranking meant the airport had not taken the necessary steps during the period to identify issues, and has not implemented robust procedures for monitoring and recording performance.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has long worked alongside airports to improve experiences for passengers with reduced mobility. The Airport Accessibility Framework was introduced in 2014, focussing on encouraging airports to increase staffing and to invest in equipment during the quieter winter months.
The annual report includes all UK airports that handled more than 150,000 passengers in the last year and reveals that in the period April 2022 to March 2023, 18 airports consistently achieved a "good" or "very good" ranking.
These include Aberdeen, Belfast International, Belfast City, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool, London City and Newcastle.
Seven airports improved from a "poor" rating to a "good" or "very good" rating over the year. These airports struggled to meet performance targets in the first two quarters, but improved to a ‘very good’ ranking by the end of the year.
Among those is Manchester Airport, which has invested heavily in recruitment and equipment and subsequently delivered significant improvements in the quality of the assistance service at the airport.
London Luton, which was previously highlighted as a lower performing airport in an interim report published in December, has also made significant improvements, scoring "very good" in the last quarter.
However, London Heathrow continues to be rated as ‘poor, needs improvement’ although the airport demonstrated improvements in the service provided to passengers across all four quarters. This was against a backdrop of a 50 per cent increase in the proportion of passengers using the assistance service since 2019, alongside being the airport with the highest total demand for assistance services in the UK airports.
The report notes that Heathrow did achieve the standard needed to be rated as ‘good’ in the April 2023 to June 2023 period and that the airport's data shows that performance varies between terminals, with targets routinely met in Terminals 2 and 4, while Terminals 3 and 5 did not achieve so highly.
Paul Smith, joint-interim chief executive at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said the report “shows the dedicated efforts of airports across the UK to ensure that all passengers receive the standard of service they deserve.
“With 18 airports consistently achieving good or very good ratings, and others demonstrating significant improvements, the industry is making strides in returning accessibility levels to those seen before the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It’s also important to acknowledge that there is still a way to go in providing a consistently good service for disabled and less mobile passengers across the industry, particularly for those with more complex needs, and throughout the busier summer months. The UK Civil Aviation Authority remains committed to working with airports, airlines, industry stakeholders, and advocacy groups to drive forward further improvements."
In April the CAA launched a consultation into plans to improve the
experience of flying for disabled and less mobile passengers. The
consultation, which closed on July 21 will enable the CAA to create an
accessibility framework for airlines.
The regulator will rank the performance of airlines based on the
service they offer to disabled passengers – from initially booking
tickets to offering airport assistance and the onboard aircraft
experience, as well as how they handle complaints.
Ratings will also cover how airlines enable less mobile passengers to
request assistance, as well as onboard facilities, such as seating and
toilets, plus boarding and disembarking processes.