Two Scottish airports told to improve services for disabled passengers

Two Scottish airports have been ordered to improve their services offered to passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility.

A report by the UK’s aviation regulator, the UK Civil Aviation Authority, found that Edinburgh Airport and Glasgow Prestwick Airport failed to meet the standards required.

Across UK airports, 5.5 million passengers requested assistance in 2024, representing 1.9% of total passengers.

Under the framework, airports are assessed on waiting time for arriving and departing passengers, a survey of users of the assistance service, and the findings of a consultation with disabled individuals and organisations.

Edinburgh Airport was found to be below the performance standard for the waiting time for arriving passengers.

The airport was said to have suffered from operational issues between December 2023 and June 2024 following a change of contract to a new service provider.

The report added that its performance had improved following an investment in staffing and facilities and is routinely meeting a “very good” standard.

Glasgow Prestwick was found to have failed to meet the standards to consult with disabled groups and individuals, but has since committed to putting in place an Access Forum.

Elsewhere in Scotland, Aberdeen Airport received a “very good” rating while Glasgow Airport was ranked as “good”.

A spokesman for Edinburgh Airport said: “As the CAA’s report states, this rating was given to the airport during a particularly challenging time for our PRM operation, due to a change of provider, staff shortages, and a surge in demand for the service.

“We have increased our investment in the service to more than £6m and have worked closely with our provider to implement new and improved processes and oversight. These efforts have led to significant improvements, and our goal remains to return to and maintain a ‘good’ or ‘very good’ rating.”

A Glasgow Prestwick Airport spokesperson said: “Glasgow Prestwick Airport acknowledges the latest CAA Accessibility Report and remains fully committed to providing a high standard of service to all passengers requiring assistance.

“While we are naturally disappointed to have fallen in the ratings after maintaining top tier status for 6 consecutive reports, we want to reassure passengers that this rating does not reflect operational issues, or the quality of assistance delivered on the ground.

“The downgrade related to engagement with specific accessibility and disability groups which we recognise is an important part of continuous improvement. We are actively working to address this and have already taken steps to strengthen these vital partnerships.

“Our focus remains on delivering a safe, respectful, and dignified experience for all passengers, and we are confident that the actions underway will help restore our previous standing in future reports.”

Selina Chadha, group director for consumers and markets at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, added: “We want disabled passengers and those with limited mobility to be confident when travelling through UK airports. Our mission is to protect people and enable aerospace and we believe that the entire industry should be behind the goal of making aviation accessible to all.

“It is welcome that most airports scored positively, but there is clearly more to do from those found to be needing improvement. With demand for these services rising dramatically in recent years, all airports have a huge challenge ahead to ensure they continue to offer the assistance services their passengers deserve.”