Research has revealed reduced mobility puts people off flying

According to consumer-focused research by the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority), those with mobility difficulties are less likely to have flown in the past twelve months, due to people fearing that things will go wrong. Many worry that access will cause a problem when flying, which is preventing a number of people such as stair lift users from booking a holiday abroad.

Only 39 per cent of disabled people have flown in the past year, which is 13 per cent less than those without a disability. Physical and communication barriers were just one of the worries expressed by the disabled people who took part in the research, as well as expectations that there was a high chance that mistakes could be made by airlines regarding their travel.

In the findings presented by the CAA, Iain Osborne, Group Director for Regulatory Policy said: “Sadly it would appear one of the biggest barriers to flying is a lack of understanding and information about the specially tailored special assistance airports and airlines are legally obliged to provide, which enables people with a disability or reduced mobility – to go from departure to arrival with minimal fuss and ease.”

High satisfaction levels reported for those that do fly

However, those that do fly with a disability are just as likely to fly more than once a year, as other people who fly regularly. The research found that the majority of people who requested special services by airports and airlines in advance were satisfied by what was provided, with 54 per cent claiming that they were ‘very satisfied’.

The research also discovered that there is generally a high level of confidence in aviation safety and security as a whole. The CAA has recently been helping to improve the quality of special assistance information on the websites of major airlines and all UK airports.

Image Credit: Yuichi Kosio (Flickr.com)