Cardiff Airport has been identified as needing to enhance its accessibility services for passengers, according to a recent report by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). The airport was ranked among the bottom five in the CAA’s annual Airport Accessibility report, which evaluates UK airports on how well they accommodate and treat passengers with reduced mobility and disabilities.
The report, covering April 2023 to March 2024, found that while accessibility standards are generally rising, with no airports in the lowest category, there remains “mixed progress.” The CAA emphasised the need for more work to ensure that the experience of disabled passengers is on par with that of other travellers, making air travel accessible to all.
In the report, 11 UK airports were rated “very good” for accessibility, 12 as “good,” and five, including Cardiff, as “needs improvement.” The CAA’s head of consumer policy and enforcement, Anna Bowles, stated, “Making aviation accessible to all is an important part of our work to protect the public and enable the aerospace sector. Progress is being made, and not rating any airports ‘poor’ this year is welcome, but there’s more work to do, especially by those airports we have rated ‘needs improvement.’ We will continue to work with the sector to ensure that standards are maintained and improved.”
UK Transport Secretary Louise Haigh echoed these sentiments, stressing that everyone has the right to travel with dignity and that more must be done to make flying accessible and enjoyable for all. She expressed her commitment to working with the CAA and the aviation industry on this critical issue.
In response to the report, Spencer Birns, CEO of Cardiff Airport, acknowledged the need for improvement in how the airport records and shares information with regulators regarding its Passenger with Reduced Mobility (PRM) service, also known as special assistance. He stated, “Our teams at Cardiff Wales Airport take great pride in providing excellent customer service. The CAA has identified areas for improvement in our reporting processes, and we have already taken steps to enhance how we report data to the CAA. We regularly receive positive feedback on our service and professionalism and will continue to ensure we offer a great Special Assistance service to our customers who need it.”
The CAA report highlighted airports that excelled in accessibility, with Belfast City and City of Derry airports exceeding “very good” targets once again. Other airports rated as “very good” included Cornwall Newquay, East Midlands, Glasgow Prestwick, Leeds Bradford, London Stansted, Newcastle, and Teesside. Meanwhile, Glasgow maintained its “very good” rating, and Southampton airport improved its assistance services to achieve a better rating than last year.
On the other hand, Cardiff Airport, along with Bristol, London Gatwick, Liverpool, and Norwich airports, remains in the “needs improvement” category.