Doha: The panel discussion entitled "Accessibility in International Civil Aviation," held as part of the ICAO Facilitation Conference (FALC 2025) currently convened in Doha, discussed the challenges and opportunities related to the accessibility of individuals with disabilities and reduced mobility to the services offered by civil aviation, with particular focus on upgrading an overarching system that ensures them the right to benefit from air transport services safely and independently.
According to Qatar News Agency, Lifetime Goodwill Ambassador of ICAO and Chairman of Session 11, Dr. Olumuyiwa Benard Aliu, stressed the importance of partnership among concerned parties to adopt integrated policies that ensure the right of mobility to all.
For her part, Chief Executive Officer of the Canadian Transportation Agency (CTA), France Pegeot, called for the imperative of streamlining the air transport system through compliance in service delivery, consulting stakeholders with disabilities in the formulation and implementation of laws, and engaging in joint action with the industry sector to achieve concrete progress in this domain.
Disability Inclusion Consultant from Saudi Arabia, Turki Ahmed Halabi, asserted that the experience of individuals with disabilities has been tangibly improved over recent years by virtue of legislative and regulatory updates. He called for doubling down on efforts toward a travel experience free of hurdles and characterized by comfort and respect.
Director of the Passenger Rights Protection Department at the Italian Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC), Mark De Laurentiis, emphasized the importance of collaboration among all stakeholders to address the issue of inclusion, suggesting approval of the "One Click Away" initiative to streamline travel procedures, and noting that ICAO can play an instrumental role in this field.
Assistant Director of External Affairs, Infrastructure, and Customer Experience at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), Linda Restagno, highlighted that air carriers' commitment should go beyond the provision of services to adopting an inclusive and enduring work environment. She underscored the importance of training and leveraging technologies to meet the needs of all individuals with disabilities, with particular emphasis on shifting mindsets from an early age.
The panel discussion wound up with remarks by Roberto Castiglioni, MBE, Managing Director of Reduced Mobility Rights Limited in London, who called for setting concrete solutions to scale up services in the aviation sector. He pointed out that technology alone is not enough, but should be merged with human skills and empower individuals with disabilities to work in the aviation sector and become an effective part of its social environment.
Running until Thursday, under the theme "Facilitating the Future of Air Transport: Collaboration, Efficiency, Inclusivity," FALC 2025 convenes ministers, leaders, senior officials from civil aviation authorities, and experts from various nations and international organizations.