Loose Women & MP’s Unite For Disability Reform On Flights

After her recent legal reform success, British TV Presenter, Author, and Disability Advocate Sophie Morgan has announced a new ‘Rights on Flights’ manifesto and legislation to further protect Disabled people when travelling.

Yesterday [Thursday 14th September 2023], to an audience of MP’s, airlines, policy experts and supporters, Sophie announced her new proposal at the House of Commons, Westminster to urge the government to pass more robust laws and changes to protect Disabled travellers.

Sophie’s trailblazing campaign, Rights on Flights has created history and headlines worldwide. Her power connecting the public, with experts and policy leaders is unrivalled in this space. Sophie continues to demonstrate the urgency for the aircraft industry to take Disabled people more seriously.

June 2023 finally saw legal reform and the government’s response to the ongoing issues surrounding Disabled travellers and airlines. The reforms included plans for the Civil Aviation Authority [CAA] to be able to issue financial penalties to airlines who fail in their obligations to disabled traveller.

The new Rights on Flights legislation “Assisted Air Travel Act” includes:

1. Institution of the Complaint Resolution Official to handle situations affecting disabled people as they arise.

2. Clear-cut processes and procedures for the transport of mobility aids.

3. Legal obligations for the accessibility of airports and airplanes.

4. New way of funding free transport of carers where one is needed to comply with safety rules.

5. New fast-tracked process and procedure to address damaged or lost mobility aids.

6. A tiered system of enforcement tools also including direct compensation to passengers for minor violations.

7. Greater involvement of disabled people in the decision-making process of airport managing bodies and airlines.

Yesterday’s event and manifesto comes the week disability equality charity Scope UK exposed failures on flights and new statistics including:

One third (33 percent) of disabled people who have flown in the past 5 years have made an accessibility related complaint to an airport, airline, or the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), this figure rises to seven in ten (72 percent) for 18- to 34-year-olds.
One in eight (12 per cent) disabled people haven’t flown in the past 5 years because they fear medication being lost or damaged.
One in four of us is disabled – these failings are potentially impacting on millions of disabled travellers and their families who use our airports every year.