Airlines to be named and shamed in new shake-up

AIRLINES are to be rated on the service they provide to passengers with a disability in a bid to drag up standards. The body that regulates the industry is calling for views on a proposed framework aimed at improving the experience of disabled and less mobile flyers.

Assessments will then be carried out on all UK and non-UK airlines operating in the UK – and the results made public.

Anna Bowles, head of consumer policy at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said the move was about “holding airlines to account in meeting their obligations to disabled and less mobile passengers across all aspects of their journey.

“Consumers should have confidence that the standard of support they receive when flying will meet their needs.”

The regulator’s framework will rank the performance of each airline’s service – from booking flight tickets and assistance at the airport, through to their onboard experience and complaints handling.

Ratings would include the level of access around requesting assistance, onboard facilities including seating and toilets, as well as boarding and disembarking.

The framework also sets standards for bringing assistance dogs onto flights, along with providing guidance on how airlines should handle mobility equipment and provide compensation when it is lost or damaged.

In developing their proposals, the regulator engaged extensively with disabled people and major airlines.

Ms Bowles added: “We’re asking for feedback from individuals, disability rights groups and the industry to help shape our plans.”