Aviation Services UK and mobility aid manufacturers join forces to deliver Government recommendations on accessibility

Aviation Services UK (ASUK), which represents the airport ground services industry in the UK, has partnered with the British Healthcare Trades Association (BHTA) and Sunrise Medical to create the Aviation Accessibility Panel (AAP), an expert group dedicated to improving the experience of airline passengers who use mobility aids.

This follows publication today of the government’s Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group’s report.

ASUK represents companies that handle 80% of all UK flights. The BHTA is a not-for-profit trade association that brings together manufacturers, suppliers, distributors and service providers to champion better health and care for all. Sunrise Medical is one of the world’s largest mobility aid manufacturers

Chaired by Paralympian, Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson DBE, DL, the Task and Finish Group has published a report with 19 recommendations to improve accessibility in aviation. The AAP will focus on two of those recommendations, targeting mobility aid design and handling.

Airlines and airports that have committed to supporting the AAP’s work include British Airways, EasyJet, Jet2, Virgin Atlantic, Manchester Airports Group, and London Heathrow.

Work is already underway to drive best practice by building on Sunrise Medical’s Power Chair Travel Tags to enable better communication between mobility aid users, airlines and ground service providers.

The AAP’s other aims include supporting improved training to handle complex devices and promoting ‘flier friendly’ design innovations to reduce the risk of damage to mobility aids.

ASUK chief executive, David Leighton said, “It has been a privilege to serve from the start as a member of the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group.

“Our discussions on mobility aid design and manufacturing raised several complex issues and underlined the need to develop collaboration with mobility aid manufacturers.

“That’s why we’re delighted to join forces with Sunrise Medical and the British Healthcare Trades Association to create the Aviation Accessibility Panel, helping to deliver the Task and Finish Group’s recommendations.

“The Group’s report is the culmination of months of hard work by colleagues and stakeholders. Thanks to the leadership of Baroness Grey-Thompson and her fantastic team, we have built critical momentum towards improving accessibility in aviation. Our focus is on maintaining that momentum to drive the positive change that is needed.”

William Lee, head of policy & compliance at the BHTA, said, “There is a wide range of issues that can affect the experience of airline passengers using mobility aids. The Aviation Accessibility Panel brings together the expertise necessary to address those issues. We look forward to working with our colleagues in aviation to continue to improve the experience of mobility aid users when they travel.”

Faith Brown, clinical & education lead at Sunrise Medical, said, “As one of the world’s leading mobility aid manufacturers, we want to make sure our customers have the best possible experience when they travel.

“We have already delivered several initiatives to help our customers travelling by air, including dedicated guidance published on our website and bespoke Power Chair Travel Tags.

“It’s fantastic to be working with Aviation Services UK to help us build on these initiatives, helping us and our industry deliver further benefits to the customers we serve.”

For more information about ASUK, visit https://www.aviationservicesuk.org/.