Enhancing the inclusivity of the global flight network is key to ensuring that everyone can access the benefits of air connectivity, and ICAO is fully committed to helping our Member States and the airports and airlines they regulate, achieve progress. Governments have agreed to a variety of international technical standards that ensure the accessibility of air transport; these are annexed to the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation, under Annex 9 on “Facilitation.” We provide guidance on the implementation of these facilitation standards in our Manual on Access to Air Transport by Persons with Disabilities (Doc 9984).
Under Annex 9, and more specifically Standard 8.23, States are required to ensure that, when travelling, persons with disabilities are provided with special assistance in order to ensure that they receive services customarily available to the general public. This assistance has to be provided in a manner that respects the dignity of the individual. It also requires States to ensure that necessary measures are taken to enable people living with hearing- and vision-impairments to obtain flight service-related information in accessible formats.
The last ICAO General Assembly (Resolution A41-15) urged States to prioritize the inclusion and accessibility of air transport services to persons with disabilities and reduced mobility; and ICAO to exercise continuous leadership on sustainability, including the social sustainability imperatives of inclusion and accessibility.
In December ICAO, Airports Council International (ACI) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) will host the Symposium on Accessibility in International Civil Aviation at ICAO Headquarters in Montréal, uniting governments, industry leaders and advocacy groups to tackle barriers to air travel faced by persons with disabilities or reduced mobility. The theme of the event, which will take place from from 2 to 3 December 2024, is “Inclusive and Universally Accessible Air Transport for Persons with Disabilities and Reduced Mobility.” There is still time to register for this event. We will be exploring the strategies that create a more accessible air transport system and so much more (we’re sharing the programme outline at the bottom of this article).
Key discussion topics during this event will include:
- International frameworks and policies for accessibility inclusion;
- Barriers to air travel: architectural, technological, and informational
- Stories from passengers with disabilities
- Global collaboration on mutual standards and practices
- Enhancing accessibility through design and technology
- Mobility in air transport
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 1.3 billion individuals live with some form of disability, representing around 16% of the global population. Additionally, as the population ages, the percentage of people with disabilities is expected to increase.
Both States and industry have demonstrated a strong commitment to improving accessible air transport for passengers with disabilities. While current regulations focus predominantly on addressing concerns through individual jurisdictions, achieving significant progress will require shifting the focus to the establishment of a cohesive global framework.
“Universally coordinated and accessible air transport can only be achieved through close collaboration along the aviation value chain. ICAO is heightening cooperation with IATA and ACI on this priority, because it is only by showing governments and operators how to work together as one that we will successfully tackle existing barriers in air travel,” said Juan Carlos Salazar, ICAO’s Secretary General.
“Airlines want to ensure safe, reliable, and dignified travel for every passenger, including those with disabilities. To deliver this, airlines, airports and the disability community must work together. On top of this, national regulatory frameworks for passengers with disabilities must support successful service delivery no matter where a journey begins or ends. Coordination among all these players is the key to empowering passengers with disabilities to travel with confidence. We have high expectations that this event will move us towards that goal,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.
“ACI is committed to helping our member airports enable barrier-free environments that provide equal access and outstanding travel experiences for all guests, regardless of ability. This symposium will bring together aviation stakeholders from across the ecosystem to engage in meaningful dialogue to identify actionable steps toward creating a more accessible air transport system,” said Justin Erbacci, ACI World’s Director General.
Organized within the context of the 2024 ICAO Year of Facilitation, we’re going to be working to ensure the creation and exchange of expertise that improves the air travel experience of persons living with disabilities. Our goal is also to help inform negotiations among ICAO’s 193 Member States on accessibility when they convene in 2025 for the 42nd ICAO Assembly.
For more information on the event and to register, click here. The symposium will feature an exhibition showcasing practical accessibility solutions and services. Registration is open to aviation stakeholders, including border control authorities, airport and aircraft operators, advocacy groups, and interested parties from all Member States.
Accessibility-Programme-Outline