Jon Fletcher, CEO of the Wheelie Good Travel Company and an advocate for disabled travellers, has launched a Parliamentary Petition urging the UK Government to legislate for improved accessibility in aviation.

The petition calls on Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander and the Government to implement, in full, the recommendations of the recently published Aviation Accessibility Report.

The report, produced by the Parliamentary-appointed Aviation Accessibility Task and Finishing Group chaired by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, set out measures to address the barriers faced by disabled passengers at airports and on flights.

Fletcher welcomes the creation of the task group and the publication of its findings but said hopes quickly turned to frustration when the Government signalled it had no plans to bring forward legislation or funding to make the proposals a reality.

“It has saddened me that after all the hard work, time and expertise that people put into producing the report of the Aviation Accessibility Task and Finishing Group chaired by Tanni Grey Thompson. The Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander has failed to step up to the plate and pledge to bring forward the necessary legislation and funding to implement the reports recommendations.  

“These changes need to be made immediately. Her lack of commitment to create the necessary legislation feels like a betrayal of the trust of those who contributed evidence and more importantly a failure of duty of care to disabled air travellers That clearly is not good enough and the Transport Secretary should be ashamed of that.”  

“This petition aims to persuade the Government to create the necessary legislation.  I have been truly humbled by the wonderful response of both the travel industry and disabled travellers to the report. I feel confident we will reach the 100,000 signature target.

The petition sets out that if it reaches 10,000 signatures, the Government must issue a formal response. If it reaches 100,000 signatures, MPs will be required to consider debating the proposed legislation in Parliament.

Fletcher said the petition had already won backing from across the travel industry and expressed confidence the momentum will grow.

“The travel industry has been supportive of the petition and I am optimistic that support will continue to build so we can make change happen,” he added.

The petition can be signed via the UK Government and Parliament petitions website.