Researchers at Breda University of Applied Sciences found that disabled passengers flying across Europe encounter systematic obstacles at every stage of air travel, despite existing regulations designed to protect them.
The study, published in the journal Research in Transportation Business & Management, examined the experiences of passengers with mobility disabilities, visual and hearing impairments, and invisible disabilities such as autism and anxiety disorders. Researchers traced every touchpoint from online booking through baggage claim.
The problems identified don't stem from single catastrophic failures but from fragmentation, the study found. A booking system that doesn't clearly capture accessibility needs combines with gate agents who fail to relay that information to ground staff, damaged wheelchairs, and delayed connections with accessible seating to create what the researchers called a "cascading failure."
"There are rules and standards, but the problems persist," said Simone Moretti, who led the research. "The aviation industry has good intentions, but providing consistent, dignified service requires more than checking boxes. You have to actually understand what these passengers experience."
Nearly one in four European adults—roughly 90 million people—live with a disability, making the issue urgent as passenger growth is projected over the next decade.
The European Accessibility Act entered its second year of implementation, yet disabled passengers continue reporting degrading experiences. The research suggests that compliance and dignity are not the same thing.
Moretti's team introduced two key concepts for improvement: the cumulative burden of barriers and standardized flexibility. The second concept suggests airlines can maintain consistent safety protocols while remaining responsive to individual passenger needs.
The researchers are pushing for co-design, involving disabled passengers in designing services and infrastructure from the start rather than seeking their input after decisions are made.
"Disabled passengers are experts in navigating broken systems," the study notes. "They understand the cumulative weight of small failures because they experience it."
The Breda team has begun translating research into action through a free training course for aviation professionals, part of the INCLAVI (Inclusive Aviation) project funded by the EU's Erasmus+ program. The course aims to build knowledge and skills for creating genuinely inclusive air travel.
Systemic barriers are design choices that can be unmade with intentionality and by listening to those most affected, the research suggests. The aviation industry has proven it can implement complex, coordinated safety systems across hundreds of airports, the study notes.
"Accessibility—genuine, dignity-preserving accessibility—is technically no more difficult," the researchers concluded. "What's needed is the same commitment, the same investment, and critically, the same voice from those who will be most affected."
