Aviramp CEO Graham Corfield talks to Airport Improvement Magazine.

How proud are you of the aviation industry across North America?

In general, I think we do a remarkable job transporting people safely, reliably and in comfort all around the globe every day of every week.

But there is one notable exception.

The way we continue to treat passengers with disabilities—whether seen or unseen— and those with restricted mobility is still just not good enough.

New figures from the U.S. Department of Transportation highlight the troubling issue.

In June 2024, some 1,075 wheelchairs and scooters were reported as being mishandled—an error rate of 1.30%.

For the first half of 2024, air carriers posted a mishandled wheelchair and scooter rate of 1.31%. This was lower than the 1.37% rate posted in the first half of 2023, but still far too high.

As a comparison, the rate of mishandling for ordinary baggage between January and June 2024 was 0.56%, a significantly lower figure.

Think about that for a second. We are pretty good at making sure someone doesn’t lose their underwear while travelling, but more than twice as bad at making sure their mobility devices arrive unscathed.

As campaigners have quite rightly stated time and time again, there would be an unprecedented national outcry if we were breaking people’s legs at the same rate we are damaging their mobility devices.

It’s no wonder that a recent survey by the Paralyzed Veterans of America found that around 67% of people in wheelchairs avoid air travel because of the barriers people with disabilities face on aircraft.

Compare aviation to other industries, and there is still much to be done.

For instance, travellers wouldn’t accept checking in to a hotel and being told they couldn’t use their own mobility devices in their rooms. However, there is still no way for airline passengers to travel safely in their own wheelchairs.

Thankfully, progress is being made on this issue, including the Air4All system. It is in the works, but still years away from a truly workable rollout. In the meantime, there is sure to be some resistance from within the industry to any wholesale aircraft design changes to accommodate mobility devices.

In the spirit of industrywide progress, here are three things we can start working on today to improve the aviation experience for all passengers with disabilities:

• Change our culture: Unless we, as an industry, begin to modify our attitude toward customers with disabilities, change can only be superficial. Too often we do only the bare minimum to make flying accessible, and sometimes not even that. A change of culture that puts the issue right at the heart of our industry would mean accessibility is hardwired into every decision we make, and not regarded as an inconvenient afterthought. Accessibility must be at the center of every piece of the jigsaw puzzle that makes up the passenger experience if we are to develop the infrastructure, services and customer focus our modern customers demand.
• Develop our training: Making sure every employee who interacts with travellers has a sufficient level of training about accommodating disabilities should be a minimum, not the gold standard. It is time the aviation industry took the lead rather than waiting to be told what to do. By being proactive rather than expecting governments to lay down the law, we can send a real signal of intent to our customers with disabilities.
• Harmonize legislation: Fragmented markets lead to fragmented practices. As an industry, we should seek to work together across borders to ensure the same rights and standards for all passengers, regardless of their mobility levels. When it comes to rights for passengers with disabilities, the differences between the United States and Europe are alarming. That is changing, but we can accelerate the process by working together and doing the right thing as an industry.

It’s time for the aviation industry to step up to the plate and lead, rather than being led, on this issue. Then, and only then, can we truly claim to offer all of our passengers the best experience.

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