Governments, industry and civil organisations are joining together to establish key priorities to improve global air travel accessibility for people with disabilities.
In a joint symposium held by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Airports Council International (ACI) and IATA, participants provided input for ICAO to develop a comprehensive strategy for aviation accessibility.
The symposium included personal experiences shared by passengers with disabilities. According to ICAO, the outcomes of the symposium will be presented to delegates at the 42nd ICAO Assembly in 2025.
ICAO said while current regulations did aim to address accessibility in individual jurisdictions, there needed to be a cohesive, international framework to achieve significant progress. About 16% of the global population lives with some form of disability, a number that is expected to rise as the world population ages.
“Airlines, airports and regulators all want to provide safe, reliable and dignified travel to every passenger. But it is no secret that accessibility poses challenges for a significant number of our passengers who have disabilities,” said Willie Walsh, IATA Director General.
“The symposium cemented consensus to build a global accessibility strategy for states to consider at next year’s ICAO assembly. Linking disparate approaches into a practical global outcome that will deliver for travellers without disappointment is the goal,” he said.
