Embedding disabled passenger needs into the UK’s Advanced Air Mobility ecosystem.

The number of air travellers requiring special assistance is rapidly increasing, with over 3.7 million requests received at UK airports in 2018, an 80% rise in 8 years. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the removal of COVID-19 travel restrictions further escalated this trend. Nevertheless, obstacles to accessible air travel persist, leading to lower flight rates among disabled travellers. Advanced Air Mobility (AAM), integrating innovative aircraft designs and technologies into existing airspace operations, offers a unique chance to enhance travel experiences for disabled travellers by addressing legacy aircraft and airport accessibility issues. Yet, to date, no social science research has investigated how disabled citizens can shape future flight technologies or explored how AAM can overcome current air transport accessibility challenges. This research will address this knowledge gap.

The research will create a new body of academic knowledge on disability and AAM. It focuses on developing an inclusive UK AAM ecosystem by involving disabled citizens in designing AAM vehicles, regulations, and operations. Drawing on disability-centred methods, this research identifies limitations in air travel and gathers recommendations from disabled users for the development of an AAM ecosystem that meets their needs. The research includes workshops, discussions with stakeholders, semi-structured interviews, and a final symposium. Outputs from the research will be published in peer-reviewed journals, conferences and in the form of an end-of-project report.