What inspired you to start Rights on Flights?
“In January 2023, I landed at Heathrow Airport after an 11-hour flight to find that my wheelchair and battery-powered attachment were broken beyond repair. My wheelchair serves as a substitute for my legs so any damage would be like an assault on my physical body. Unfortunately, this story is not uncommon and is just the tip of the iceberg for many disabled travellers. Passengers abandoned, denied boarding and valuable equipment lost or damaged have made news headlines for decades.
In response to the growing fear and frustration felt by disabled people in the UK and around the world, I, along with Marion Fellowes MP, SNP Disability Spokesperson, have launched a campaign to raise awareness of the issue and call for change.
In May 2023, I landed at Heathrow Airport again to discover that airlines had broken my battery-powered attachment for the second time within six months. I was very depressed, but the experience inspired me to keep fighting for better and equal treatment.”
What exactly is the “Rights on Flights” campaign trying to achieve?
“In the short term, Rights on Flights aims to build trust within the disability community. After all, flying is more than just a convenience – it’s a basic human right. Change is happening all over the world, but it needs to happen faster because every day more disabled people are too scared to fly.”
“The long-term goal is to ensure greater harmonization of international regulations, training, infrastructure (airports and aircraft), technology and equipment that reflects societal expectations. We want to ensure that the consistency of freedom of movement and assistance offered by airlines and airports is the same around the world.”
What rights do people with disabilities currently have when flying?
“In the UK, the main legislation protecting people with disabilities is UK1107/2006, and in the US it is the Air Carrier Access Act CFR Part 382. Both pieces of legislation aim to ensure that all people with disabilities and reduced mobility travelling by air are protected and given the support they need throughout their journey, from the moment they arrive at the airport, through the boarding process, during the flight, disembarking and then through the airport again.
To make sure UK airports and airlines comply with the law, the UK’s aviation regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (which is under the Department for Transport), monitors whether our rights are being met. The Civil Aviation Authority has a framework to assess and support airports, and publishes a public report every six months detailing how each airport is assessed and performed against the framework. However, there is currently no such framework for airlines. This gap in the legislation means that there are currently no guidelines to hold airlines to account.
However, after months of campaigning, on 28 June 2023, the UK Government published a report outlining proposed changes to aviation law. These changes include updated guidance and measures to protect disabled passengers, removing the current cap on compensation for damage to equipment by airlines, and giving the CAA greater enforcement powers where airlines or airports treat disabled passengers poorly. This is an important turning point, but now we need to hold the Government to account and ensure that these changes are implemented effectively and as quickly as possible.