Global Aviation Advances Accessible Air Travel for 1.3 Billion People with Disabilities

Together the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Airports Council International (ACI) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) will host The Symposium on Accessibility in International Civil Aviation from 2 to 3 December 2024 at ICAO Headquarters in Montréal, uniting governments, industry leaders and advocacy groups to tackle barriers to air travel faced by persons with disabilities or reduced mobility. Under the theme “Inclusive and Universally Accessible Air Transport for Persons with Disabilities and Reduced Mobility,” the event will explore strategies to create a more accessible air travel system.

Key discussion topics will include:

• International frameworks and policies for accessibility inclusion;
• Barriers to air travel: architectural, technological, and informational;
• Stories from passengers with disabilities;
• Global collaboration on mutual standards and practices;
• Enhancing accessibility through design and technology;
• Mobility in air transport.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that over 1.3 billion individuals live with some form of disability, representing around 16% of the global population. Additionally, as the population ages, the percentage of people with disabilities is expected to increase.

Both States and industry have demonstrated a strong commitment to improving accessible air transport for passengers with disabilities. While current regulations focus predominantly on addressing concerns through individual jurisdictions, achieving significant progress will require shifting the focus to the establishment of a cohesive global framework.

“Universally coordinated and accessible air transport can only be achieved through close collaboration along the aviation value chain. ICAO is heightening cooperation with IATA and ACI on this priority, because it is only by showing governments and operators how to work together as one that we will successfully tackle existing barriers in air travel,” said Juan Carlos Salazar, ICAO’s Secretary General.

“Airlines want to ensure safe, reliable, and dignified travel for every passenger, including those with disabilities. To deliver this, airlines, airports and the disability community must work together. On top of this, national regulatory frameworks for passengers with disabilities must support successful service delivery no matter where a journey begins or ends. Coordination among all these players is the key to empowering passengers with disabilities to travel with confidence. We have high expectations that this event will move us towards that goal,” said Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General.

“ACI is committed to helping our member airports enable barrier-free environments that provide equal access and outstanding travel experiences for all guests, regardless of ability. This symposium will bring together aviation stakeholders from across the ecosystem to engage in meaningful dialogue to identify actionable steps toward creating a more accessible air transport system,” said Justin Erbacci, ACI World’s Director General.

Organized within the context of the 2024 ICAO Year of Facilitation, this novel event is expected to result in the creation and exchange of significant new expertise towards improving the air travel experience of persons living with disabilities. It will additionally help inform negotiations among ICAO’s 193 Member States on accessibility when they convene in 2025 for the 42nd ICAO Assembly.