Accessibility and Public Spaces

Air travel should be available to all. However, this is not the case, with numerous reports of people with disability (PWD) encountering various barriers when planning and undertaking air travel, which make it difficult, discouraging or simply impossible to fly. The process of air travel commences well before a person enters the airport to take their flight. During the planning stages, access to accurate and up-to-date information is necessary for PWD to confidently, safely and efficiently undertake any journey, including travelling by air. Previous research has shown that the level of access, clarity and comprehensiveness of information can affect the quality and access of travel for PWD (Caponecchia, Huron & Mayland 2023) *.

Dr Vanessa Huron and A/Prof. Carlo Caponecchia are currently conducting research that aims to understand the availability and effectiveness of information related to the planning of air travel for PWD. The study involves interviewing PWD, and carers and advocates for PWD, to understand their experiences with planning domestic air travel, focusing on information access. These insights will form the basis for an analysis of the quality and comprehensiveness of accessibility information being made available across Australian airports. The data will also help to improve accessibility and quality of information for the planning of air travel for PWD.

This study is funded through a 2023 Faculty Research Grant from UNSW Science.

*Access here the Industry Summary for the ‘Managing accessibility of public spaces’ study (funded by the UNSW Disability Innovation Institute) conducted by A/Prof Carlo Caponecchia, Dr Vanessa Huron and Dr Beth Mayland.