- Growing Demographic: The number of travelers aged 60 and over is expected to increase substantially, placing new demands on airport and airline accessibility resources.
- Operational Readiness: Industry leaders are concerned that current airport infrastructure and staffing levels are not fully equipped to handle the rising volume of travelers requiring assistance.
- Communication in Disruption: Clear, specific, and timely communication is essential, particularly for neurodiverse passengers who can be severely affected by unexpected schedule changes.
- Staff Training and Empowerment: There is a strong need for improved disability awareness training and empowering frontline staff to ask customers directly about their needs during times of service disruption.
The airline industry is facing increasing pressure to improve services and support for vulnerable travelers, a demographic expected to grow significantly in the coming decades. Luis Rodrigues, CEO of TAP Air Portugal, highlighted this concern, noting an observable rise in passengers requiring assistance, particularly older adults, and questioning whether current airport infrastructure and staffing are adequately prepared to manage this demand without causing operational disruptions.
This concern is amplified by demographic projections from the World Health Organization, indicating that the global population aged 60 and over is projected to double to 2.1 billion by 2050. The industry must also become more mindful of neurodiverse travelers, whose specific needs require careful attention.
John Fishwick, Customer Accessibility Manager at Virgin Atlantic, emphasized that while travel is usually positive, disruptions can be especially problematic for those with additional requirements. He stressed that clear and timely communication is vital, particularly for neurodiverse customers who may find changes to expected schedules highly distressing. Fishwick advocates for a greater understanding of diverse access requirements and the crucial importance of disability awareness training for all airline colleagues.
When disruptions occur, airlines like Virgin Atlantic utilize special service request (SSR) codes to identify and prioritize travelers with medical needs, ensuring they receive suitable accommodations like priority rebooking or comfortable hotel stays. However, Fishwick also noted that the current reliance on generic public-facing codes, like “wheelchair user,” is insufficient for nuanced care. He suggests that simply empowering frontline staff to ask customers what they need when a disruption happens is the most effective way to provide targeted support, with the broader industry working toward standardized benchmarks for accessibility.