Rights on Flights

A message from us at Rights on Flights on the Department for Transport (DfT), United Kingdom announcement about the Task and Finish group.

Rights on Flights roundup! There has been so much going on behind the scenes at Rights on Flights this last month so its been hard to keep up with all of the exciting news coming out! So we have compiled this round-up, brought to you by Moo Deng (the disability rights icon): 1: The USA Department of Transport announced a landmark $50 million penalty against American Airlines for its treatment of disabled passengers with disabilities. Whilst we envisage a world where we are treated equally with dignity and respect whilst flying, we know that we are not there yet. This penalty is truly pinnacle for disabled rights and we hope that more governments follow suite. 2: "A long-sought goal for disabled travellers may soon come to fruition. The DoT, the Federal Aviation Administration and Delta Air Lines all confirmed that work is in progress to allow travellers who rely on wheelchairs to fly seated in their own equipment". We cannot wait for this to become a reality with Christopher Wood MBE AIR4ALL system providing disabled people the flying experience that we deserve 👏 3: As part of its "Fly Better" promise, Emirates showcased a suite of new services at the AccessAbilities Expo in Dubai. This showcase included: integration of Emirates in the Be My Eyes app; a sensory guide; Accessible Chauffeur drive service and even a sign language robot! We cannot wait to see what else they create 👀 4: In early October, Frank Gardner had the degrading experience of having to crawl along the floor of a plane in order to go to the toilet. This was down to the airline not carrying aisle chairs on short haul flights. It’s unacceptable that this is still occurring in 2024 😫 5: One of our fantastic team Joshua Wintersgill (BSc, MSc Technology) have set up a lithium battery calculator which disabled travellers can use to assess if they will be able to travel with their mobility aid's battery. This can be found on our LinkTree as well as directly on the ableMove UK website. 6: On November 7th, we are hosting a webinar in partnership with Open Road Access (ORA) to gather unique community insight into accessible air travel. We hope you have enjoyed this roundup and let us know of anything we have missed down below! 👇 Tags: Jet Gates, Sophie Morgan, Christopher Wood MBE, Roberto Castiglioni MBE, Martyn Sibley, Maayan Ziv, Joshua Wintersgill (BSc, MSc Technology), Louise Haigh MP, U.S. Department of Transportation - Office of the Under Secretary for Policy

This is positive news. We shall keep the momentum in the U.K. And Europe to help harmonise legislation and drive real, tangible change.

BREAKING (GOOD) NEWS. Wheelchair spaces in the aircraft cabin are set to becoming a reality. The FAA anticipates signing off on safety of restraints within 2025. The FAA has been conducting and supporting research on integrating wheelchairs in the aircraft cabin for a couple of years. This includes investigating the impact performance of wheelchairs designed to an industry standard used for other modes of transportation and developing the process to install wheelchair tie down systems into aircraft. “Currently we have not identified any major issues to installation, and mitigations for any minor issues are being developed. We anticipate being able to make a recommendation on installing the tie down systems by the end of next year (2025) and from there it would take an airline or another group to request the approval and begin modifying the cabin interior layout to accommodate a wheelchair in the cabin.” It is also anticipated that DOT would start rulemaking at that point to require wheelchairs be accommodated in the cabin. There are still some operational pieces that will need to be discussed with the FAA and possibly the need to request an exemption for use” “This is the moment we have all been waiting for. We are thrilled. The future is here, the future in accessible. Now, we call on all airlines to adopt this invocation and change the world for wheelchair users”, Sophie Morgan said. #accessibility #inclusion #airtravel #change #breakingnews

Rights on Flights Statement following our meeting with the Secretary of Transport Louise Haigh MP Rights on Flights Celebrates a Monumental Breakthrough in air travel for the Disability Community The disability community's relentless fight for equity in air travel has taken an unprecedented and urgently needed move towards progress. Today, Rights on Flights, a disabled-led initiative, achieved what many believed impossible: our voices were heard and validated by the highest levels of government. Unlike previous discussions with former administrations, at their groundbreaking meeting with the Secretary of State for Transport, Louise Haigh MP, a commitment to action was made, with a genuine resolve to tackle the challenges disabled people are facing and next steps were outlined. Co-founder & TV host Sophie Morgan says “It was a really positive meeting. We are thrilled to have The Secretary Of State’s clear commitment to improving the experience for disabled passengers and delighted that Rights on Flights, and the work we have done, will play a role in the work the government is doing in this space. This is an important first step in improving disabled passengers’ experiences and holding the aviation industry to account. So, we have take off! Change is in the air!” Roberto Castiglioni MBE Sophie Morgan Jet Gates Martyn Sibley Joshua Wintersgill (BSc, MSc Technology) Christopher Wood MBE

Sophie Morgan and the rest of the RoF team's hard work (Jet Gates, Roberto Castiglioni MBE, Martyn Sibley, Christopher Wood MBE and Joshua Wintersgill (BSc, MSc Technology) is paying off. We eagerly anticipate our upcoming meeting with the Secretary for Transport, Louise Haigh MP and her Team. This is a significant opportunity for us to initiate the roadmap for change and eliminate the last remaining inequalities in air travel.

RoF Offical Statement on the UK Airport Accessibility Report: Rights on Flights are deeply concerned by the recent report published by the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). We believe it presents an overly optimistic view of accessibility improvements at UK airports and overlooks the systemic failures that we know disabled people are facing. We are heartbroken and enraged that Edinburgh Airport has been rated "Good", despite a Disabled passenger falling to his death in November 2023. Several major airports remain in the 'Needs Improvement' category, which is unsatisfactory. Despite marginal progress in most airports, the report proves to be excessively lenient in failing to adequately address the persistent and catastrophic issues faced by disabled passengers across the U.K. The increased demand for accessibility services highlights the urgent need for more significant investment in staffing and equipment, yet the report glosses over these critical challenges. Never has it been made more obvious that the CAA is funded by the charges it levies on the industry it regulates. We urgently call on the UK Government, specifically Transport Secretary Louise Haigh MP, to take immediate, concrete actions to ensure all passengers, regardless of their mobility or disability status, can travel with dignity and ease. We continue to press for increased regulatory powers and punitive measures. Incremental improvements are not enough to make air travel accessible for all. - Rights on Flights team - Department for Transport (DfT), United Kingdom, Keir Starmer, 10 Downing Street, Stephen Timms, Sophie Morgan, Roberto Castiglioni MBE, Christopher Wood MBE, Jet Gates, Joshua Wintersgill (BSc, MSc Technology), Martyn Sibley

“Well behaved women seldom make history” Watch “Fight to Fly” tonight at 9pm on Channel 4. Channel 4 Hello Sunshine Sara Rea Sarah Harden Sarah Lazenby Alex Mahon Louisa Compton Rights on Flights Jane Mingay Belle PR Charlotte Belle Tobin https://lnkd.in/dNDetr_k

'“The number of disabled people not flying is increasing,” Morgan says. “We all like staycations, but come on. People also have to fly for work, for health reasons, or to see family. It’s cruel. Pet dogs have more rights on flights than disabled people.” “I’m physically exhausted and I struggle with the emotional responsibility — I get burnt out all the time,” she says. “It’s tough, with politicians wishing I would go away and the industry saying, you’re trouble. I don’t want to be difficult, but you have to be if you want to do something. If I’ve learnt anything, it’s that when you see change happen it has come at the detriment of somebody’s health.” What she really wants isn’t a fight, but to work with the aviation industry to find solutions. And they are out there — the film previews a revolutionary prototype seat that flips up to allow a wheelchair to be strapped in which Delta, the world’s biggest airline, should start fitting in commercial aircraft next year. I say revolutionary, but it actually involves little more than replacing an aircraft’s front seats and removing a few cushions. “That’s where my frustration lies,” Morgan says. “We’re not asking for huge changes. Why is it so hard? If I have to be brutal with myself and answer that question, this is about an industry who I feel doesn’t want us there. But I’m an optimist. I believe that there will be wheelchair users flying in their chairs in the next few years. I have to believe it.”' Thank you to Claire Cohen for articulating our message so perfectly and of course our wonderful Sophie Morgan for your relentless work. Sophie Morgan's Right to Fly this Monday 9pm on Channel 4 and on demand 👏 https://lnkd.in/ec-zaYKi Channel 4, Jet Gates, Christopher Wood MBE, Roberto Castiglioni MBE, Martyn Sibley, Joshua Wintersgill (BSc, MSc Technology), The Times, Maayan Ziv, Alex Mahon

Change begins next Monday, July 22nd.