ICAO hosts symposium focusing on global air travel accessibility

Research

Doug Lavin Vice President, Member and External Relations North America | International Air Transport Association - IATA

By Sky Industry News

Dec 9, 2024

ICAO recently hosted a symposium at its headquarters in Montréal, aligning international priorities on air travel accessibility. The event concluded on the International Day of Persons with Disabilities and featured discussions among decision-makers, technical experts, advocacy groups, and international organizations.

Salvatore Sciacchitano, ICAO Council President, emphasized the importance of diverse voices in addressing barriers and creating solutions. "The diversity of voices gathered here today – from decision-makers and technical experts to advocacy groups and international organizations - creates opportunities for meaningful change," he stated.

Juan Carlos Salazar, ICAO's Secretary General, highlighted the value of insights gained during the symposium. "The insights garnered from this symposium will prove invaluable in ensuring our work addresses all needs and exceeds expectations," he said. He also acknowledged the contributions of persons with disabilities in enriching understanding and strengthening resolve for change.

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Justin Erbacci, ACI World's Director General, recognized ICAO's role in uniting stakeholders to develop cohesive frameworks for accessibility. "While current regulations address accessibility within individual jurisdictions, achieving significant progress requires a cohesive framework on an international scale," Erbacci noted.

Willie Walsh, IATA’s Director General, discussed the challenges airlines face regarding accessibility. He stressed the need for a global strategy to ensure safe and dignified travel for passengers with disabilities. “Airlines, airports, and regulators all want to provide safe, reliable, and dignified travel to every passenger,” Walsh said.

The symposium addressed growing concerns about aviation accessibility as over 1.3 billion people globally live with disabilities—a figure expected to rise as populations age. It provided substantial input for ICAO's development of a comprehensive accessibility strategy aimed at harmonizing global frameworks for accessible air transport.

Delegates will be informed of the outcomes from this symposium which will guide future policy development efforts.

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