MELBOURNE: As millions prepare for holidays, this study sheds light on a reality that often goes unnoticed. With nearly one in four adults in the EU living with a disability – some 90 million people – making air travel accessible is a mainstream necessity and an increasing priority for the industry. Yet, despite extensive regulations and current standards, flying still is often a stressful and sometimes undignified experience for those passengers. The research shows that barriers persist at every stage of the journey.

The study, published in Research in Transportation Business & Management (Elsevier), comprises passengers with a wide range of disabilities, including wheelchair users, people with visual or hearing impairments, and those with hidden conditions such as autism or anxiety. The researchers examined each touchpoint of the passenger journey, from (online) booking to baggage claim, with the goal of better understanding and supporting the current situation.

With expected passenger growth in the coming decade, the industry risks scaling a system that excludes a substantial share of the population. To address this, BUas is working with European university partners on INCLAVI (Inclusive Aviation), an EU Erasmus+-funded project developing the education and knowledge needed to make air travel more inclusive. The researchers introduced two new concepts: the cumulative effect of barriers and standardised flexibility.

While physical barriers remain widespread, the study highlights something more pervasive: the cumulative effect of barriers. A missing detail at bookings, staff who fail to pass on disability-related information at check-in, a wheelchair damaged in the hold – none of these is catastrophic in isolation. Together, they form a pattern that exhausts passengers and erodes their dignity and trust in the aviation system.

‘Many regulations and standards exist, yet the struggles remain,’ says Simone Moretti, senior researcher in Tourism Impacts on Society at BUas. The aviation sector has good intentions, but consistent, dignified service requires more than compliance. It requires truly understanding what these passengers go through.’