News

Cardiff Airport recognised as one of UK’s leading airports for accessibility

04 Aug 2026 3 minute read

Nation.Cymru staff

Cardiff Airport has been recognised as one of the UK’s leading airports for accessibility after receiving a “very good” rating in the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s latest annual Airport Accessibility Report.

The airport was one of 19 across the UK to achieve the regulator’s highest rating for 2025/26, recognising the quality of its assistance services for passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility.

The report, which assesses 28 UK airports handling more than 150,000 passengers a year, found that Cardiff joined airports including Bristol, Edinburgh, London Gatwick, Manchester and Newcastle in receiving the top ranking.

As part of this year’s assessment, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) also carried out an in-depth accessibility review at Cardiff Airport, alongside Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow Prestwick and Liverpool, to examine the support available for passengers requiring assistance.

The findings come as demand for airport assistance services continues to grow across the UK. Since 2015, requests for assistance have increased by 115.8%, compared with overall passenger growth of 23.9%, highlighting the increasing need for accessible travel services.

The report also found that standards have improved significantly over the past decade. When the CAA’s Airport Accessibility Performance Framework was introduced in 2014, 13 airports were rated either “Poor” or “Needs Improvement”. This year, no airport received either of those ratings.

However, the regulator said there is still more work to do. While overall passenger satisfaction with air travel has reached a record high of 88%, satisfaction among passengers with accessibility or disability needs remains lower at 82%.

The CAA’s latest Aviation Consumer Survey also found that 58% of disabled passengers reported experiencing difficulties when accessing or using airports and flying, with the most common issues relating to walking, standing or carrying luggage.

Anna Bowles, Head of Consumer Protection at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “The progress made in improving airport accessibility over the last decade is encouraging. Through our annual assessments, we have challenged airports to raise standards, increase transparency and focus on the needs of disabled passengers.

“The fact that no airport was rated ‘Needs Improvement’ or ‘Poor’ this year is welcome, but we cannot be complacent. Some disabled passengers still face difficulties when travelling, and with demand for assistance services continuing to rise, airports must continue to invest in assistance services.”

She added that the Civil Aviation Bill currently before Parliament could give the regulator additional enforcement powers to help ensure airports continue meeting the legal rights of disabled passengers.

The annual report measures airports against a range of accessibility standards, including waiting times for passengers requiring assistance, customer satisfaction and engagement with disabled passengers and accessibility organisations.

Cardiff Airport’s “very good” rating places it among the highest-performing airports in the UK for accessibility, reflecting continued investment in services designed to support passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility.

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