Calling for accessible transport for all.

Delays, damage to equipment and negative attitudes and just some of the barriers that make air travel a challenge for disabled people.

Scope has been campaigning for many years to make public transport more accessible for disabled people. Our new research into disabled people's experiences of flying shows that:

16 million people in the UK are disabled. This means these failings are potentially impacting on millions of disabled travellers and their families.

That’s why we have partnered with TV presenter, disability campaigner and Scope ambassador Sophie Morgan to protect the rights of disabled people travelling by plane.

Sophie decided to launch the Rights on Flights campaign after her wheelchair was broken twice whilst travelling.

Sophie's manifesto for change includes:

• fining negligent airlines
• making it law for airports and planes to provide proper accessibility
• free travel for carers
• direct compensation to disabled passengers who are wronged.

We joined Sophie at her Rights on Flights campaign event at Westminster on Thursday 14 September 2023, where she launched a charter to protect disabled people on flights.

The event was attended by disabled campaigners, influencers, journalists and MPs, including Tom Pursglove, Minister for Disabled People and ex-Home Secretary Lord Blunkett. Louise Rubin, our Head of Policy and Campaigns talked about our new research into disabled people's experiences of flying.

Sophie said:

"Society can no longer accept the disregard with which some disabled travellers are being treated when they fly. I’ve been ignored, left on planes, and had expensive wheelchairs damaged. What me and my team are working on is for disabled passengers to have the same experience as other passengers.

It’s time to have a stronger, passenger-centric legislation so that airlines and airports can do their job better and be really held to account if they don’t provide assistance to disabled people or damage equipment. This is why I am full throttle on the Rights on Flights campaign.”

James Taylor, Scope’s Director of Strategy said:

“For too long airlines have been a law unto themselves. The loss of specialist equipment, being treated like a second class citizen and, being unable to board or disembark are all too common experiences for many disabled passengers.

Right now, there isn’t much action that can be taken against airports and airlines when things go wrong for disabled people passengers.

Too many disabled passengers experience a lack of respect and dignity from the aviation industry. Airlines and airports have had long enough to sort this out and it is high time they are held to account. The CAA needs the power to issue fines across the board for equipment loss, assistance failures and unacceptable service.”

It’s more important than ever that airlines and airports get assistance right. We won't stop campaigning until public transport is accessible for disabled people.