New rights for disabled and less mobile passengers

Under new European law, if you are disabled or have difficulty moving around, you will have improved rights to assistance when you fly to, from and within Europe from 26 July 2008.

You do not need to be permanently or physically disabled to benefit from these rights. In fact, anyone who has difficulty moving around, for example, because of their disability or age, can receive help when they fly.

To read the Department for Transport's guidance to passengers please click here.

Key facts

• The law affects the whole of the air travel process, not just the flight itself. It also covers booking your flights, arriving at the airport, checking in, getting on and off the plane and leaving the airport. For more information see our step by step guide to your rights to fly. 
• The regulation applies to tour operators and travel agents as well as to airports and airlines. This means that tour operators and travel agents must pass on your needs to the airlines, and they in turn must inform the airports of the individual services required.
• If you have a complaint you can contact the Equality and Human Rights Commission for advice which is responsible for dealing with complaints about UK airlines and airports in England, Scotland and Wales and can advise you of your rights and what further action you can take.
• The Commission will provide advice and example letters to send to the appropriate body - be that the travel agent, the airline, the airport or another organisation.
• If the complaint is not resolved within a set timescale, the Commission can take the matter up further. It will liaise with colleagues in the Department for Transport and the CAA (the airline regulator) and other European Union nations to improve services to disabled and less mobile passengers.