The UK Civil Aviation Authority has reported record demand for airport assistance services, with every assessed airport achieving a Good or Very Good accessibility rating.
UK airports have continued to improve accessibility for disabled passengers and passengers with reduced mobility (PRMs), according to the latest Airport Accessibility Report published by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), with every assessed airport achieving either a ‘Good’ or ‘Very Good’ rating for the first time.
The annual assessment, covering April 2025 to March 2026, evaluated 28 UK airports handling more than 150,000 passengers annually. Nineteen airports received the highest ‘Very Good’ rating, while the remaining nine achieved a ‘Good’ rating. No airports were classified as ‘Needs Improvement’ or ‘Poor’, highlighting significant progress since the regulator introduced its Accessibility Performance Framework in 2014.
Passenger journey accessibility continues to improve
The report also revealed that demand for airport assistance services reached a record 5.9 million passengers during 2025. Since 2015, requests for assistance have increased by 115.8%, significantly outpacing overall passenger growth of 23.9%.
Airports awarded a ‘Very Good’ rating included Aberdeen Airport (ABZ), Belfast City Airport (BHD), Belfast International Airport (BFS), Bournemouth Airport (BOH), Bristol Airport (BRS), Cardiff Airport (CWL), Cornwall Airport Newquay (NQY), East Midlands Airport (EMA), Edinburgh Airport (EDI), Exeter Airport (EXT), Liverpool John Lennon Airport (LPL), London City Airport (LCY), London Luton Airport (LTN), London Gatwick Airport (LGW), London Southend Airport (SEN), Manchester Airport (MAN), Newcastle Airport (NCL), Southampton Airport (SOU) and Teesside International Airport (MME).
The remaining airports, including Birmingham Airport (BHX), Glasgow Airport (GLA), London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and London Stansted Airport (STN), were rated ‘Good’.
Despite the improvements, the CAA noted that disabled passengers continue to experience challenges when travelling. While overall passenger satisfaction reached a record 88%, satisfaction among passengers with accessibility needs was lower at 82%. The regulator also found that 58% of disabled travellers reported difficulties when accessing airports or flying, with walking, standing and carrying luggage identified as the most common issues.
Anna Bowles, Head of Consumer Protection at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “The fact that no airport was rated ‘Needs Improvement’ or ‘Poor’ this year is welcome, but we cannot be complacent. Some disabled passengers still face difficulties when travelling, and with demand for assistance services continuing to rise, airports must continue to invest in assistance services.”
The regulator will consult on an updated Accessibility Performance Framework later this year, while proposed legislation currently before Parliament could provide additional enforcement powers to strengthen passenger accessibility rights.
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