CAA awards Stansted a ‘good’ rating for accessibility
The new, higher rating is recognition of the improvements and investments made to the service following the previous year’s assessment that airport assistance ‘needs improvement’ and was achieved while the airport reported record growth and served over 1.7 million more passengers than the year before.
Improvements made include a complete overhaul of the arrivals route for passengers requiring assistance, new toilet facilities and lift and a direct corridor to immigration which means passengers now enjoy a more pleasant, seamless arrival into and through the terminal.
The recent improvements are in addition to a host of other initiatives in place at the airport, including Changing Places facilities both airside and landside, Airport Awareness lanyards to indicate to staff that a passenger may require assistance due to a hidden disability and our Special Flyer Autism Awareness Scheme. London Stansted also works closely with the Alzheimers Society and has already successfully trained more than 400 staff as Dementia Friends.
The report considers a range of key service issues including passenger satisfaction, engagement with disability organisations and airport users and service efficiency.
Anne Wafula Strike, Paralympian, inclusion campaigner and member of London Stansted’s Disability Forum, said: “London Stansted is an airport I frequently use and it knows that access and inclusion is the right thing to do and I am pleased to see the improvements that have been achieved through dedication and a spirit of listening to disabled people. I hope other airports will follow this positive example and make it a business imperative.”
Commenting on the improved rating, London Stansted Chief Operating Officer, Steve Griffiths, said: “We are delighted that, following last year’s ‘Needs Improvement’ rating, we have achieved exactly that and our commitments to inclusive travel for all our passengers through investment in infrastructure, equipment and staffing has led to London Stansted now being recognised as ‘good’ by the CAA.
“It’s really important that every passenger, regardless of any disability or assistance requirements, can travel confidently, easily and conveniently through the airport and enjoy the airport’s facilities and the wide range on destinations on offer.
“In the last year we have worked closely with our airline partners and our service provider, Omniserv, to make many improvements. Through continuous engagement and collaboration with members of our Disability Forum we have achieved a clear focus on the issues that really matter to passengers that require additional assistance and support.
“At London Stansted we are committed to ensuring all passengers with reduced mobility or hidden disabilities get the best possible experience every time they travel through the airport, and we recognise reaching that standard is a continual process as we strive to improve further in the future.”
For full details of the CAA’s airport accessibility report 2018/19: www.caa.co.uk/News/UK-Civil-Aviation-Authority-reports-on-disabled-access-at-UK-airports
