Britain's largest airport Heathrow ranks as one of the country's worst when it comes to the quality of assistance provided for disabled travellers according to a new report by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

 

The report, which assesses the top 30 UK airports, highlights that the number of requests for extra help when travelling by air reached over three million in 2016 – a rise of 66% since the start of the decade.

 

It adds that the majority of airports are providing ‘very good’ or ‘good’ support for these passengers but four – Heathrow, Manchester, East Midlands and Exeter – are rated ‘poor’.

 

The report acknowledges that the country’s largest airport faces certain challenges in delivering high quality assistance, such as long walking distances and high numbers of disabled passengers.

 

But the CAA’s director of consumers and markets Richard Moriarty said that, alongside the other three ‘poor’ rated airports, it had “fallen short of our expectations” and must improve. 

 

Heathrow’s own passenger surveys have recorded that over 60% of those using its assistance service rated the quality as unsatisfactory, highlighting instances where their needs had not been met.

 

For example some said that on arrival from a flight there had been a lack of timely onward assistance, meaning it took those with mobility issues significantly longer to exit the airport than other passengers.

 

Campaign group Transport for All’s chairman Alan Benson commented: “Air travel remains a source of both anger and apprehension for many disabled people. Even the best airports in this report have some way to go before taking a flight can truly be considered accessible.

 

“Disabled passengers must arrive early, are often boarded with little dignity and face added delays at the end of their flight. Worst of all we regularly hear of instances when vital equipment such as wheelchairs are seriously damaged affecting a person's freedom and independence for weeks or even months afterwards.”

 

The CAA says it has secured a commitment from Heathrow to develop and implement a performance improvement plan to ensure disabled people are better provided for. It has received similar assurances from the other three ‘poor’ rated airports.

 

Responding to the report a spokesperson for Heathrow said: “We are extremely disappointed with these findings. They are not acceptable and fall short of the experience Heathrow aims to provide its passengers. Addressing the issues raised in this report is a priority for us.”

 

The airport serves over a million passengers who require special assistance every year and will be taking further actions to improve provision for those with mobility challenges, it said.

 

These include introducing new requirements in its assistance supplier contract to reduce waiting times for disabled passengers and a pledge to become the world’s first ‘dementia friendly airport’ through staff training.

 

♦ Accessibility and the needs of disabled travellers is set to be the focus of a feature in the September issue of Transportation Professional.

 

(Photo: Heathrow Airports Limited)