Disabled access to aircraft: a European right!

(B2) The settlement community aiming to facilitate access to aircraft for disabled people and passengers with reduced mobilitye partly entered into force on July 26. This text prohibits airlines from refusing the booking or boarding of a person because of their disability or age. Decision which pleases the European organizations for the defense of disabled people, the EDF including.

With a few caveats. “We are concerned that the exceptions listed in Article 4 leave the door open to future discrimination against passengers with disabilities. For the regulation to be truly effective, it will be necessary to clarify the security reasons that can be invoked when a disabled person is denied boarding," explains its president Mr. Vardakastanis.

Not all regulations are in effect yet. The provision (Article 7 et seq. of the regulations) obliging to provide free assistance to a person with mobility difficulties only comes into force on July 26, 2008.

To become aware of some of the difficulties encountered by disabled people in gaining access to the aircraft, some examples.