The social-political impact of physical disability access in airports across the UK
Author: Molly Humphreys
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An abstract on the social-political impact of physical disability access across UK airports.
Key words: disability, airport, mobility, discrimination
Physical disability is a sub-section of the different types of disability. Physical disability is visible to the common eye and unseen disability is less obvious to the eye. Some with a physical disability may need assistance with mobility such as a wheelchair or crutches, hence why it is important for UK airports to provide the correct support. Departure gates in large airports such as London Heathrow can make it difficult and tiring for a person with mobile limitations, so solutions must be created to help the traveller. In particular, London Heathrow airport offer special assistance including ramps wider access, telephones at an accessible height, reserved seating and much more. Priority boarding is also offered on board every airline to ensure a less stressful experience for those passengers that need more time to settle. If passengers require assistance once they are on board the aircraft, personnel will be there to help get them on at any UK airport and off the plane once they have arrived at their destination of choice. All cabin crew are trained in first aid and to help every passenger that steps on board the aircraft. Mobility aid must be provided on board in order to make the passenger feel comfortable and at ease.
According to Gatwick airport(2024), they claim the they “try to engage with a number of organisations working with hidden disabilities, such as the National Autism Society, RNIB, Mencap and Alzheimer’s Society” but no mention is made of physical disability charities. An aging population and Alzheimer’s has been scientifically proven to correlate to each other, as it becomes more prominent as we get to an older age. This would be an impressive and helpful learning curb that Gatwick Airport could use to their advantage. As great as it is to rely on airlines to provide assistance, charitable help is free and can be beneficial to both parties, it can be educational and create a better understanding. Some recommended charities include the Chrstopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which provides help for those with spinal injuries in the UK and Scope UK, who provide information and emotional support for those with a physically demanding disability. Every airport within the UK also has access to an electric buggy service which helps passengers get to and from their departure gates. This is a free of charge service and is available to everyone, easy to pre-book and efficient to the less mobile.
The UK is currently tackling an aging population. Which means that the demographic of British tourists wanting an international holiday includes many that are middle age and above. An aging population also can be a catalyst for the need for physical disability assistance, including wheelchairs and accessible seating areas. According to Graham and Metz (2017), an aging population is the EU and more elderly people having greater proportion of wealth, the demand for PwD to travel is likely to increase and provide a newer income stream to the sector. In 2017, the European Commission Progress report on the implementation of European Disability Strategy (2010-2020) estimated that 120 million people would have a disability in the EU by 2020 (Wood S,2020a). A growing aging population comes with its many disadvantages but the most impactful on airlines and airports has to be the costly affect that it has, as there is a need for more special assistance trained staff. On the other hand, if airports and airlines are worried about the cost of training, they may consider turning to other opportunities such as priority seating. Davies and Christie (2017) mentioned in their findings that manual handling, equipment used and seating communications was the lead cause of physical pain and discomfort (Wood S, 2020b).
Discrimination against those whom have a physical or unseen disability is not a new topic of conversation, in fact, it have been around for many years. It has only seen over the past decade that we have started to see changes in views and attitudes. This can be due to the impact of social media and societies increasing education on the once taboo topic. Discrimination against someone with a physical disability can be devastating for an individual’s wellbeing, it can lead to a vicious cycle of unjustified hate that can have devastating outcomes if not dealt with efficiently. Babara Khahe (2006) states that the feelings of discomfort, rejection or fear during interaction with disabled person are still prevalent, accompanied with misconceptions about the behaviour, personality and achievement potential of the disabled.
Over the years, new laws against hate crimes against disabled individuals have been informed. Failure to apply to the law and committing a hate crime can land someone with a criminal record. The equality act and the United Nations convention on disability rights help to enforce and protect those who are most vulnerable. This applies in the work place, in education and public areas including airports. If a member of the public needs to report an act that falls under discrimination law or just makes them feel uncomfortable, it is important that it is reported to one of the many members of staff or security employees, who are trained to tackle the issue and make everyone feel welcome.
References
Darcy, S. (2007) Flying with impairments: Improving airline practices by understanding the experiences of people with disabilities, OPUS at UTS | Open Publications of UTS Scholars. Available at: https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/handle/10453/7557 (Accessed: 20 May 2024).
Wood, S. (2024) Accessibility standards and guidelines for civil aviation. Available at: https://www.civilaviation.gov.in/sites/default/files/Accessibility Standards and Guidelines for Civil Aviation_English (2) (1)_compressed_0.pdf (Accessed: 20 May 2024).
Anne Graham a et al. (2019) Airports and ageing passengers: A study of the UK, Research in Transportation Business & Management. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2210539519300586?casa_token=9BAWyXWZz7wAAAAA%3A64lv5_Dco-Q8upGxawda_z0mfpH7iDt2_8Wj8sWQzyZbT-OhWluy511NmHEqroR3lPKAdfyUhuO7 (Accessed: 20 May 2024).
Key words: disability, airport, mobility, discrimination
Physical disability is a sub-section of the different types of disability. Physical disability is visible to the common eye and unseen disability is less obvious to the eye. Some with a physical disability may need assistance with mobility such as a wheelchair or crutches, hence why it is important for UK airports to provide the correct support. Departure gates in large airports such as London Heathrow can make it difficult and tiring for a person with mobile limitations, so solutions must be created to help the traveller. In particular, London Heathrow airport offer special assistance including ramps wider access, telephones at an accessible height, reserved seating and much more. Priority boarding is also offered on board every airline to ensure a less stressful experience for those passengers that need more time to settle. If passengers require assistance once they are on board the aircraft, personnel will be there to help get them on at any UK airport and off the plane once they have arrived at their destination of choice. All cabin crew are trained in first aid and to help every passenger that steps on board the aircraft. Mobility aid must be provided on board in order to make the passenger feel comfortable and at ease.
According to Gatwick airport(2024), they claim the they “try to engage with a number of organisations working with hidden disabilities, such as the National Autism Society, RNIB, Mencap and Alzheimer’s Society” but no mention is made of physical disability charities. An aging population and Alzheimer’s has been scientifically proven to correlate to each other, as it becomes more prominent as we get to an older age. This would be an impressive and helpful learning curb that Gatwick Airport could use to their advantage. As great as it is to rely on airlines to provide assistance, charitable help is free and can be beneficial to both parties, it can be educational and create a better understanding. Some recommended charities include the Chrstopher and Dana Reeve Foundation, which provides help for those with spinal injuries in the UK and Scope UK, who provide information and emotional support for those with a physically demanding disability. Every airport within the UK also has access to an electric buggy service which helps passengers get to and from their departure gates. This is a free of charge service and is available to everyone, easy to pre-book and efficient to the less mobile.
The UK is currently tackling an aging population. Which means that the demographic of British tourists wanting an international holiday includes many that are middle age and above. An aging population also can be a catalyst for the need for physical disability assistance, including wheelchairs and accessible seating areas. According to Graham and Metz (2017), an aging population is the EU and more elderly people having greater proportion of wealth, the demand for PwD to travel is likely to increase and provide a newer income stream to the sector. In 2017, the European Commission Progress report on the implementation of European Disability Strategy (2010-2020) estimated that 120 million people would have a disability in the EU by 2020 (Wood S,2020a). A growing aging population comes with its many disadvantages but the most impactful on airlines and airports has to be the costly affect that it has, as there is a need for more special assistance trained staff. On the other hand, if airports and airlines are worried about the cost of training, they may consider turning to other opportunities such as priority seating. Davies and Christie (2017) mentioned in their findings that manual handling, equipment used and seating communications was the lead cause of physical pain and discomfort (Wood S, 2020b).
Discrimination against those whom have a physical or unseen disability is not a new topic of conversation, in fact, it have been around for many years. It has only seen over the past decade that we have started to see changes in views and attitudes. This can be due to the impact of social media and societies increasing education on the once taboo topic. Discrimination against someone with a physical disability can be devastating for an individual’s wellbeing, it can lead to a vicious cycle of unjustified hate that can have devastating outcomes if not dealt with efficiently. Babara Khahe (2006) states that the feelings of discomfort, rejection or fear during interaction with disabled person are still prevalent, accompanied with misconceptions about the behaviour, personality and achievement potential of the disabled.
Over the years, new laws against hate crimes against disabled individuals have been informed. Failure to apply to the law and committing a hate crime can land someone with a criminal record. The equality act and the United Nations convention on disability rights help to enforce and protect those who are most vulnerable. This applies in the work place, in education and public areas including airports. If a member of the public needs to report an act that falls under discrimination law or just makes them feel uncomfortable, it is important that it is reported to one of the many members of staff or security employees, who are trained to tackle the issue and make everyone feel welcome.
References
Darcy, S. (2007) Flying with impairments: Improving airline practices by understanding the experiences of people with disabilities, OPUS at UTS | Open Publications of UTS Scholars. Available at: https://opus.lib.uts.edu.au/handle/10453/7557 (Accessed: 20 May 2024).
Wood, S. (2024) Accessibility standards and guidelines for civil aviation. Available at: https://www.civilaviation.gov.in/sites/default/files/Accessibility Standards and Guidelines for Civil Aviation_English (2) (1)_compressed_0.pdf (Accessed: 20 May 2024).
Anne Graham a et al. (2019) Airports and ageing passengers: A study of the UK, Research in Transportation Business & Management. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2210539519300586?casa_token=9BAWyXWZz7wAAAAA%3A64lv5_Dco-Q8upGxawda_z0mfpH7iDt2_8Wj8sWQzyZbT-OhWluy511NmHEqroR3lPKAdfyUhuO7 (Accessed: 20 May 2024).