Air Travelers With Disabilities See Some Improvements, Study Finds
Photo Credit: The Air Access seat concept by Priestmangoode combines aircraft seating with wheelchair access, making it easier for passengers with restricted mobility to board aircraft. Priestmangoode
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Safety regulations and the limited space available on aircraft make it challenging for airlines to improve at the same rate as airports in accommodating passengers with disabilities. But if some airlines have done it, so can others.
The Open Doors Organization (ODO) has released its 2015 Market Study of the air travel experience for U.S. adult travelers with disabilities, finding airlines and airports have improved their accommodations for passengers with disabilities, though obstacles are still significant.
“This new data shows that the disability travel market has a greater impact than ever on the industry and the broader economy,” says ODO Director Eric Lipp. “In the past two years alone, more than 26 million adults with disabilities traveled for pleasure and/or business, taking 73 million trips. The study also shines a light on factors still holding back the market. Twenty-five
