Minster Development Centre Ltd Help Center | Disabilities Are we finally getting heard?

Disabilities Are we finally getting heard?

Christine Lester FRSA

Last Update 5 months ago

I have been following the latest news, protests and finally to-day the long awaited news:

"Paralympic champion and DR UK Ambassador Tanni Grey-Thompson is set to lead a new group of experts tasked with improving air travel for Disabled passengers. In August, Tanni Grey-Thompson was forced to crawl off a train after arriving at King's Cross and facing too long a wait for assistance, an experience of humiliation many Disabled passengers, be it through public transport or air travel, can relate to.

The Aviation Accessibility Task and Finish Group, announced by the Government, has said it will work to make flying accessible for all "from booking to baggage claim".

The taskforce will include presenter Sophie Morgan, co-founder of global disability group Rights on Flights and campaigner for improved aviation accessibility. Sophie Morgan’s advocacy has led the push for more inclusivity within the aviation industry and played a pivotal part in raising awareness of the challenges Disabled air passengers face. Sophie’s recent documentary ‘Fight to Fly’ highlighted the unacceptable treatment Disabled passengers can often face when flying.

The Department for Transport announced that"the taskforce will engage directly with individuals who have first-hand experience of flying with a disability, ensuring the group can act as a platform to advocate for Disabled passengers and that consumer voices are at the heart of progress."

The group "will run in partnership between industry and consumers and look at tackling the biggest barriers to air travel for Disabled passengers", it added."

Sophie has definitely taken up the cudgel (as we used to say) and joined with others such as my friend Roberto Castiglioni MBE. Roberto has come to my rescue many times over the past 10 years when on business travel for European projects my scooter was "trashed" and dumped at my feet (literally) or left behind in Brussels when it should have been with me in Turkey meaning I would be without legs for 5 days. I would message poor Roberto in despair at 10.0 p.m. at night thinking he might not respond until next day but he did. I know he used some of my escapades to bring to the attention of the various airlines he worked with and he has done amazing work (hence his MBE) !!

So, I will follow the latest news with interest as I hope others will, it can happen to all of us and mine was only gradual loss of mobility over the past 10 years. The only way to get progress is I am afraid to lobby politicians whilst disabilities is in the news. I do respond on X, Threads, Facebook and Linkedin - the more the merrier. The link to the news this morning is https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/news/new-taskforce-set-address-inaccessible-air-travel

If you are disabled or know someone who is there is a very useful app I downloaded that sets out your rights - published by the European Commission - "Know your Rights"

https://www.bizicard.in/ChristineLester

Christine Lester, content generated 07/11/2024

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