Aviation is a key driver of global trade and tourism and a major direct and indirect contributor to nations’ Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Continuing access to the socio-economic benefits of aviation is important to all the nations and peoples of the world. However, operators’ financial profitability can no longer be the only measure of corporate success. The youth of today and of future generations will reward those companies that add net value to society. Civil society desires an air transport industry that offers robust protection for the rights of all consumers.

In this regard inclusion, accessibility and mobility to persons with disabilities and the aging population are one of the important emerging social responsibility issues in international air transport.

Persons with disabilities face significant challenges due to poor culture of inclusion and lack of awareness in many countries and societies. They face significant barriers to mobility including in Air travel due to lack of enabling infrastructure, and harmonised accessibility regulations, procedures and best practices. It is therefore time for the civil aviation sector to take bold steps and lead.

It is important to note that persons with various forms of disabilities constitute over 15% of world population and the aged population is increasing globally. These significant segments of the society constitute a growing market of air travellers. Accordingly enhancing accessibility is both a matter of social importance and an economic imperative for international air transport.

The United Nations (UN) rightly accords a lot of importance to Inclusion and Accessibility and has adopted the  UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. It encourages close collaboration among States and civil society organisations (CSOs) and stakeholders to facilitate implementation of the Convention.

Accessibility is one area where iPADIS is doing significant work in collaboration with organisations representing the disabled communities. iPADIS encourages Governments to demonstrate their commitments at the UN and give more visibility to issues of inclusion and accessibility in international civil aviation. It further advocates for the implementation of effective global and regional platforms for consultation and collaboration with civil society organizations and communities representing persons with disabilities and to promote a culture of inclusion and awareness of accessibility challenges in air transport and facilitate enabling infrastructure and harmonised accessibility regulations, procedures and best practices.