Heathrow rated ‘poor’ for treatment of disabled passengers
London Heathrow, Manchester, East Midlands, and Exeter airports have been shamed in a report on caring for disabled passengers.
All four were rated ‘poor’ in a report by the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority for the assistance they provide to passengers with a disability.
Disabled passengers arriving at Heathrow, for example, are being forced to wait up to two hours for help disembarking aircraft.
The CAA research also found instances of passengers not being treated with dignity and respect.
It has called for the badly performing airports to take action and says it will monitor progress until improvements are made.
A Heathrow spokesperson said it was ‘extremely disappointed’ with the findings.
"They are not acceptable and fall short of the experience Heathrow aims to provide its passengers. Addressing the issues raised in this report is a priority for us.
"We apologise to those who have been affected and are taking action, including the amendment and retendering of our contract with new and higher standards of service, to ensure passengers who require special assistance, receive the service they rightly deserve."
The report, based on such as customer satisfaction, waiting times and engagement with disability organisations, rated 20 airports as ‘good’ and six – Birmingham, Glasgow Prestwick, Glasgow, Humberside, Inverness, and Norwich – as very good.
It also found the number of UK passengers with a disability travelling by air has risen by more than two thirds since 2010, far exceeding overall passenger growth over the same period.
CAA director of consumers and markets, Richard Moriarty, said: "UK aviation should be proud that it continues to serve a rapid increase in the number of passengers with a disability. Our surveys, along with the airports’ own studies, have shown high levels of satisfaction among disabled passengers and we have seen some examples of excellent service where assistance is well organised and delays are minimal.
"However, East Midlands, Exeter, Heathrow and Manchester have fallen short of our expectations and we have secured commitments from them to make improvements. We will monitor their implementation over the coming months to make sure that services for passengers with a disability or reduced mobility continue to improve."
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
TAP Air Portugal to operate 29 flights due to strike on December 11
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airbnb eyes a loyalty program but details remain under wraps
Air Mauritius reduces frequencies to Europe and Asia for the holiday season
Major rail disruptions around and in Berlin until early 2026