For Angus Drummond, the founder of accessible holiday company Limitless Travel, Qatar Airways and Emirates are among the best. “They have a high level of service in general and, as a result, are better for disabled guests,” he says. “I’ve [also] travelled regularly with airlines like Jet2 and Ryanair, and found that there’s never been an issue at all.”
Georgina Burton, however, an accessible travel blogger, says trouble-free experiences are rare. “I have faced problems with every flight I have taken,” she says, “I can’t actually say that any of the airlines [I’ve flown on] have stood out as better than others.”
Data on the number of complaints made by disabled passengers to airlines in the UK is not publicly available, but studies by groups like AbleMove and Flying Disabled show that problems are widespread. In the US, disabled travel writer John Williams has used Department of Transportation data to rank the accessibility of airlines, with Delta performing the best. JetBlue ranks lowest, in part due to some five per cent of travellers noting mishandled wheelchairs.
Most, however, feel the problem is not airline-specific but about poor staff training and, in some cases, the legal requirements of the destination country.
“Obviously, air travel is international, and that makes it challenging,” says Carrie-Ann. “Universally, there is assistance available. But the standard of assistance varies hugely depending on where you are in the world, and it’s not really about individual airlines.”
Organisations like Rights on Flights are working to standardise policies. The pressure group, founded by Sophie Morgan, aims to improve the situation for disabled travellers by increasing staff competency and pushing manufacturers to implement accessible designs. Their campaign has legislative ambitions, too. The Assisted Air Travel Act was introduced to the Houses of Parliament in 2023, requesting that the Civil Aviation Authority be granted legal powers. This would allow it to fine airlines if they fail to look after disabled passengers and their mobility devices.
Currently, the law does not stipulate that mishandled special assistance qualifies for compensation, and while passengers can claim for a damaged mobility device, payouts can be capped at around £1,300 as part of the Montreal Convention.
Chris Wood, who is a part of Rights on Flights, thinks that the Act is a promising solution to the current issues. “All airlines have good and bad days,” he says. “Staff don’t wake up and say ‘I am going to ruin someone with a disability’s holiday’. They are doing their best in a broken system.”
That system, however, remains troubling. Earlier this year, a survey by Channel Four found that of 500 people with reduced mobility, 50 per cent felt they were discriminated against when they flew. More than half said they experienced an accessibility issue with at least one airline, and one in four who use a mobility aid had it lost or damaged while flying.
For Carrie-Ann, any change is welcome. “Currently, I’m not always treated like a human being, like a paying customer, by staff who are assisting me.”
“I pay the same price for an airline ticket as anybody else does, and I don’t believe that I receive an equal service. For quite a long time, I’ve said that if the service level is going to continue as it is, then disabled passengers should have concession rates, because you’re getting worse service.
“I don’t want to always have to fight for my rights. I want to be able to relax and enjoy my holiday.”
Chris Wood is optimistic that this will soon be possible. “The stage is set for 2025 to be the landmark year for the changes that our community has been vying for. We all want safety and dignity when travelling by air. Finally, it will be the same experience for everyone.”