Published 6 August 2026
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has published its annual Airport Accessibility Report for 2025/26, and for the first time since the framework began, not a single UK airport was rated “needs improvement” or “poor”. The regulator assessed the 28 UK airports that handled more than 150,000 passengers during 2025, covering performance between April 2025 and March 2026.
Nineteen airports achieved a “very good” rating: Aberdeen, Belfast City, Belfast International, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cardiff, Cornwall Newquay, East Midlands, Edinburgh, Exeter, Liverpool, London City, London Luton, London Gatwick, London Southend, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton and Teesside. A further nine were rated “good”: Birmingham, City of Derry, Glasgow, Glasgow Prestwick, Inverness, Leeds Bradford, London Heathrow, London Stansted and Norwich. That is a marked change from 2014, when the framework launched and 13 airports sat in the bottom two categories.
Demand is growing five times faster than passenger numbers
The headline figure for anyone who travels with a wheelchair or mobility scooter is the demand curve. A record 5.9 million passengers used assistance services at UK airports in 2025. Since 2015, requests for assistance have risen by 115.8 per cent while overall passenger numbers grew by just 23.9 per cent. In other words, the number of people who need help getting through an airport is climbing roughly five times faster than air travel as a whole, driven by an ageing population and by more travellers feeling able to ask for support.
That growth is exactly why the ratings matter. Assistance teams that coped comfortably a decade ago are now handling more than double the volume, and the CAA assessment covers waiting times for both arriving and departing passengers, the accuracy of the data airports submit, satisfaction surveys of people who actually used the service, and whether airports consult disabled people through accessibility forums.
Disabled passengers still report a gap
Progress on ratings has not closed the experience gap. The CAA latest Aviation Consumer Survey found overall passenger satisfaction with air travel at 88 per cent, the highest since the survey began in 2016, but satisfaction among passengers with accessibility or disability needs was 82 per cent. More tellingly, 58 per cent of disabled consumers reported difficulties accessing or using airports and flying, with the most common problems relating to walking, standing and carrying luggage.
Anna Bowles, Head of Consumer Protection at the CAA, said the sector cannot be complacent and confirmed the regulator will consult on a revised version of the framework later this year. She also pointed to the Civil Aviation Bill currently before Parliament, which would give the CAA additional enforcement powers to hold airports to account on passengers legal rights, including accessibility.
What this means if you travel with equipment
If you use a wheelchair or a mobility scooter, a “very good” rating is a reasonable signal that waiting times and forum consultation are in decent shape, but it says nothing about how your equipment will be handled in the hold. Airlines, not airports, are responsible for damage in transit, and that remains the single biggest complaint among disabled air passengers. Book assistance at least 48 hours before you fly, label your equipment clearly with removal and reassembly instructions, and photograph it at check-in.
Battery rules are the other thing to check early. Most airlines accept sealed lead-acid and gel batteries without fuss but restrict lithium batteries by watt-hour rating, and the limits vary by carrier. If you are choosing new equipment partly with travel in mind, our guides to wheelchair costs and mobility aids cover the trade-offs between weight, folding design and battery type. For travellers who prefer not to fly with their own equipment, hiring at the destination is worth pricing up, and a local supplier can be found through our company directory.
The full report is published as CAP3264 on the CAA website, and the regulator consultation on a revised framework is expected before the end of the year.
Sources: UK Civil Aviation Authority, CAP3264 Airport Accessibility Performance Report 2025/26, THIIS Magazine.
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- Wheelchairs: types, features and buying advice
- Mobility scooters explained
- How much does a wheelchair cost?
- Find a mobility company near you
Published 6 August 2026
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