The travel industry is failing travellers with disabilities, according to an investigation by Holiday Which? magazine.
An investigation of 10 of the biggest airlines, airports and tour operators, by Holiday Which? showed there was a lack of awareness about the needs of people with accessibility requirements, as well as a lack of information which would help them travel abroad.
The websites and brochures of Airtours, First Choice, Thomas Cook and Thomson were labelled inadequate while only First Choice guaranteed to meet passengers’ disability requirements.
All 10 airlines quizzed in the report asked passengers with a disability to notify them of requirements before travelling – using a premium-rate number. Charter airlines were singled out for providing insufficient and contradictory information.
The report says American Airlines, Ryanair, Thomas Cook Airlines and Thomsonfly have the worst websites for partially-sighted people because text size can’t be changed. Thomas Cook Airlines, Thomsonfly and First Choice Airways also charge a fee to travel with an assistance dog.
Holiday Which? editor Lorna Cowan said: “Airports and airlines have made a lot of progress, but there is still a lot of work to be done before foreign travel is truly accessible to everyone.”
A Thomas Cook Spokesperson said “Thomas Cook endeavours to follow the Government’s voluntary code of practice Access to Air Travel for Disabled People, which targets the needs of individuals with a disability from the moment they book their flight to their return journey home.