Accommodating passengers with disabilities in aviation

College of Aeronautics, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

ASCI 491: Operational Applications in Aeronautics
Mrs. Rachelle Strong
May 1, 2022

Introduction
Progress in the aviation industry is bare for all to see, though accommodation issues have still marked
it for passengers with a disability (Disability and Health, 2020). This group of passengers always
warrants special attention and care. Notably, the population of persons with disability is on the rise
(Disability and Health, 2020). Aviation is not left out of this discussion and should look to update
services for comprehensive inclusivity. This paper aims to establish the state of air travel for this
particular group, who have not received the appropriate treatment. A look into past research and
publications on the subject of disabilities in aviation will give an insight into the state of such affairs,
bringing forward the need for this subject to be re-evaluated. Those in aviation should work to
incorporate procedures to sustain the surging numbers of disabled air travelers. Such include comfort
issues over long travels and training staff to handle such passengers properly. Generally, this paper
looks to assess the best ways possible on how the aviation industry should and can accommodate
passengers with disabilities.
Background
There has been an ever-rising number of persons with disability within the world population, which
has recently surpassed the 1 billion mark. In one way or another, these persons exhibit difficulty
interacting with their environment due to their health conditions (Disability and Health, 2020).  They
have often been exposed to obstacles like improper healthcare, unwarranted negative attitude,
financial constraints, and even difficulty in communication. These have been extended into the
aviation industry, as passengers with disability in aviation have often been left exposed to
inappropriate care (Major & Hubbard, 2019).
In recent times, more complaints have been raised about the accommodation of disabled passengers.
Some of these include loss and damage of equipment like wheelchairs, being made to wait for longer
durations, and issues of accessibility (Major & Hubbard, 2019). The design of contemporary air travel
has not been structured to accommodate persons needing special treatment due to particular health
conditions. The issue of inclusivity has neglected the required attention that passengers with a
disability should be receiving.
Literature Review
Passengers with various physical impairments have, for a long time, been left exposed to
unpredictable conditions in-flight. According to Fadul et al. (2014), a study established that there had
never been priorities in handling people with disabilities in aviation. They did an extensive literature
review on the subject, finding out the gap in studies dedicated to this topic and that this group of
travelers is essentially not given appropriate care. Davies & Christie (2017) explored different
experiences of wheelchair users in aviation to provide policy and practice recommendations for future
interventions in this sector. They reported inappropriate handling of these physically impaired
passengers and issues of accessibility, and a general humiliating environment that only heightens
anxiety.
Aspects of aircraft design have also been cited as an issue by passengers with disabilities. Davies
and Christie (2018), this was who explained sampled experiences from parents traveling with
impaired children. This research also cited issues of accessibility within travel, stereotyping like
seclusion in waiting areas, and recommended a re-evaluation in the design of procedures and seating
in planes.
Data Analysis and Results
Those with various disabilities usually require specialized types of care (Disability and Health, 2020).
Particularly, passengers with mobility impairments should be given such assistance in whichever
industry they are in; otherwise, they are usually left exposed to their vulnerabilities (Fadul et al., 2018).
Like in other sectors, aviation has not been left out of the discussion on efficiently accommodating
such persons. The industry has not sufficiently dedicated improvements designed to provide the
required comfort for passengers with underlying musculoskeletal issues (Fadul et al., 2018).
There are other underlying issues for disabled aircraft passengers, which only serve to amplify their
already complex situations. Basic amenities like toilets have not always been designed to consider
disabled passengers, which means they always require assistance from others (Davies & Christie,
2018). While it is easier to provide assisted care for children, issues of accessibility have not been
inclusive of adults who may not be comfortable with extensive care and assistance. Aircraft design is
a pivotal contributor to the discomfort that this group of passengers is sometimes exposed to, though
this sometimes extends to providing more stereotyping services (Davies & Christie, 2018). This
includes seclusion for special treatment and how they are physically handled in the whole process.
The rate at which disabled passengers report complaints is higher than average passengers in
aviation (Major & Hubbard, 2019). This inadequacy is prevalent in particular companies, while many
have tried to phase them out. Some of these complaints include damage or loss of wheelchairs and
other essential equipment and recurring issues of accessibility. Another area that has received
attention is insufficient knowledge of how to handle disabled passengers by the staff at various levels
of operation within the industry (Major & Hubbard, 2019). Some passengers have even reported
injuries and pain resulting from poor handling, adding to the psychological and physical humiliation
that they have to contend with (Davies & Christie, 2017).
Conclusions
With the population of disabled persons increasing worldwide, the aviation industry should expect and
adapt to these trends appropriately and efficiently. Aviation has had remarkable milestones, but these
have not comprehensively covered passengers with a disability. Today, many issues are still being
raised on how much they should be accommodated in the industry, ranging from physical
sustainability to cognitive scope.
Many disabled passengers cite accessibility as a critical issue, as many social amenities and places
like toilets have not been comprehensively designed to accommodate those in wheelchairs. Physical
handling of their equipment and luggage often leaves them exposed, and in extreme cases, others
are subjected to humiliation and embarrassment in public, which dents their emotional being. Seating
in aircraft sometimes proves rather uncomfortable, especially on long flights, while they receive poor
treatment from undertrained staff when in need of special care.
Recommendations
Inclusivity in modern aviation should look to better the experience of disabled passengers (Harding,
2019). Such should begin with improving assistance for this group of passengers in finding their way
through airports, in a manner that does not warrant unnecessary attention and without any pinch of
stereotyping, like designated seclusion areas for persons with disability. Persons requiring assisted
navigation and care should be provided to enhance their safety and sense of security, especially
when accessing particular areas like toilets.
Handling disabled passengers should be included in training for all aviation professionals and
programs to address the divergent needs of different passengers; mark you, the subject of disabilities
is very diverse (Disability and Health, 2020). Aircraft design should start considering the comfortability
of disabled passengers.
References
Davies, A., & Christie, N. (2017). An exploratory study of the experiences of wheelchair users as
aircraft passengers – implications for policy and practice. IATSS Research, 41(2), 89-93.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iatssr.2017.05.003
Davies, A., & Christie, N. (2018). The experiences of parents with children with disabilities traveling on
planes: An exploratory study. Journal of Transport & Health, 11, 122-129.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2018.10.002
Disability and health. (2020, December 1). World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-
room/fact-sheets/detail/disability-and-health
Fadul, R. M., Brown, L. M., & Powell-Cope, G. (2014). Improving transfer task practices used with air
travelers with mobility impairments: A systematic literature review. Journal of Public Health Policy,
35(1), 26-42. https://doi.org/10.1057/jphp.2013.48
Harding, J. (2019). A research-based approach for improving the airport wayfinding experience.
Journal of Airport Management, 13(2), 133-143.
Major, W. L., & Hubbard, S. M. (2019). An examination of disability-related complaints in the united
states commercial aviation sector. Journal of Air Transport Management, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/jaitra/v78y2019icp43-53.html