Right of Passage
Business Traveller Middle East|April 2020
How accessible is air travel for persons of reduced mobility?
JENNI REID
Right of Passage

We all put up with inconveniences to jet around the world – hurried walks across labyrinthine airports, onerous security checks and being crammed with hundreds of others into a small metal tube for several hours.

Few of us, however, will have deliberately dehydrated ourselves before a flight because we know there will be no way to access a toilet on board. Or watched from our seat as every other passenger disembarked, waiting for our assistance to arrive. Or been left immobile in a new city because our wheelchair has been damaged or lost in transit.

For “persons with reduced mobility” (PRMs) with a permanent or temporary physical disability, the whole experience of flying – from passing through the airport and getting on to the aircraft, to travelling in a cramped seat and then getting off on the other side – can be fraught with difficulty. In a recent survey of disabled people commissioned by Which?, almost half of respondents said that a lack of confidence in accessibility services had limited their ability to fly in the past two years.

A Business Traveller reader who regularly flies using a wheelchair told us that while Emirates provides excellent service when getting PRMs on and off the plane, once luggage has been collected from the carousel at Dubai International, porters will not provide assistance unless paid in cash. On a recent trip, not having any money on him, he was refused help and had to be aided by police. He described the experience as “unbearable”. Emirates, which manages the service at the airport, confirmed to us that porters require a fee, adding that last month it introduced card payments.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BUSINESS TRAVELLER MIDDLE EASTView all
Onwards and upwards
Business Traveller Middle East

Onwards and upwards

In an exclusive interview with Ian Fairservice for Business Traveller, His Highness Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, President of the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority and CEO and Founder of the Emirates Group, provides insight into the current and future state of travel and Emirates’ pivotal role in getting the industry back on track

time-read
5 mins  |
July - August 2021
Cleaning up the crisis
Business Traveller Middle East

Cleaning up the crisis

How hotels have risen to the challenge of keeping guests safe during the pandemic

time-read
10 mins  |
May - June 2021
The Great Vegas Meetings Magic Act
Business Traveller Middle East

The Great Vegas Meetings Magic Act

The city is working hard to conjure up events and make millions of visitors reappear

time-read
9 mins  |
May - June 2021
TAKES OFF
Business Traveller Middle East

TAKES OFF

Corporations are seeking new travel solutions that put safety and convenience first

time-read
5 mins  |
May - June 2021
TEE TIME IN TOKYO
Business Traveller Middle East

TEE TIME IN TOKYO

The Tokyo Olympics may be delayed, but the golf courses around Japan’s capital aren’t slowing down

time-read
5 mins  |
May - June 2021
KEYS TO THE KINGDOM
Business Traveller Middle East

KEYS TO THE KINGDOM

New and upcoming hotels to check out when you next visit Saudi Arabia

time-read
10+ mins  |
May - June 2021
QATAR CALLING
Business Traveller Middle East

QATAR CALLING

A swathe of hotels are opening in the Gulf State in the run-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup

time-read
10 mins  |
March 2021
MEMPHIS CON BRIO
Business Traveller Middle East

MEMPHIS CON BRIO

Music and history flood through the heart and soul of this quintessential American river town

time-read
6 mins  |
March 2021
Sofitel Mumbai BKC
Business Traveller Middle East

Sofitel Mumbai BKC

BACKGROUND Sofitel Mumbai BKC is one of Accor’s most prominent addresses in Mumbai, Maharashtra. The French hospitality group’s other hotels in the city are operated under the Novotel and ibis brands.

time-read
3 mins  |
March 2021
Taking Scotland in Stride
Business Traveller Middle East

Taking Scotland in Stride

A walk through the Highlands and Borders is the best way to touch this country’s history and nature

time-read
5 mins  |
March 2021