Governments and industry work to improve air travel for persons with disabilities
Governments and industry work to improve air travel for persons with disabilities
Proposed new ICAO strategy will contribute to accessibility and dignity of flying for persons with disabilities and reduced mobility
Current figures indicate that more than 1.3 billion people worldwide live with some form of disability, representing approximately one in six individuals. This proportion will increase as populations age, making accessibility a priority for aviation.
At focused global talks to accelerate progress today, ICAO announced its new strategy on accessibility in aviation for persons with disabilities and reduced mobility, with delegates from governments, industry, civil society and international organizations having gathered at ICAO Headquarters in Montréal for the Second Joint ICAO/ACI/IATA Symposium on Accessibility in International Civil Aviation.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities also mandates equal access to transportation and related services. ICAO’s accessibility activities are driving progress towards this objective throughout the international civil aviation system, in alignment with ICAO’s strategic vision of air transport for all.
Ensuring equal access throughout the travel experience
Passengers encounter accessibility issues at each point in their journey: booking flights, arriving at airports, checking in, passing through security and border procedures, locating gates, boarding planes, communicating with staff, making connections, collecting baggage, and managing disruptions.
This week’s Symposium will gather diverse expertise, including persons with lived experience relating to these issues and the feasible solutions for addressing them. Participants will look into the delivery of universal-design infrastructure, services, and products. Training the aviation workforce to understand the broad range of passenger needs is also among the areas of focus. This includes recognizing and meeting the needs of passengers with non-visible disabilities, such as neurodiverse passengers and passengers living with cognitive disabilities.
Understanding and commitment must result in action
The ICAO Assembly created a global mandate for accessibility through its unanimous adoption of Resolution A42-14 last year. The Resolution obliges ICAO to, inter alia, exercise continuous leadership on accessibility towards accessible, reliable, and seamless travel for everyone. This mandate will inform ICAO’s updates to the standards and recommended practices annexed to the 1944 Convention on International Civil Aviation.
Governments set regulatory requirements in alignment with the Convention. This alignment creates a consistent international framework for airport and airline facilities and services that are adapted to the needs of persons with disabilities.
While the Convention already requires accessible services, this week’s talks will help inform future updates. These could prescribe how to meet changing passenger expectations, advances in technology, and increased demand for services.
A clear path forward
States, regulators, airports, airlines, service providers, and disability organizations are implementing effective approaches that deliver substantial results. ICAO’s strategy, following approval by the Council, will strengthen these efforts by calling on stakeholders to embed accessibility in future aviation strategies, policies, operations, and investment decisions from the outset.
This will benefit everyone because operational excellence improves resilience: a robust aviation system that consistently serves every passenger, including vulnerable travelers, is better equipped to withstand disruptions generally.
While the ICAO Council is expected to approve the new strategy in January next year, the symposium’s discussions will close tomorrow with steps to facilitate improvements, including measuring progress. ICAO will continue to lead and coordinate efforts worldwide as regulators and industry ramp up initiatives to implement the existing framework and align with the best practices emerging from this symposium.
Through these actions, aviation will be closer to ensuring that every passenger travels safely, independently, confidently, and with dignity.
14 October 2026