Dehumanizing air travel: a scoping review on accessibility and inclusion of people with disabilities in international airports.
David Gotti, Ernesto Morales, François Routhier and 2 others
PMID 39329061WHAT IT FOUND
Airport services often prioritize physical access over inclusion, forcing passengers to plan extensively and accept segregated assistance.
Therapists should advise clients that vague 'accessible' claims may hide long waits and dehumanizing transfers, encouraging direct contact with airlines to confirm specific support needs.
Key findings
01Accessibility practices are frequently designed for specific disability types rather than individual needs, leading to services that feel segregated or dehumanizing.
02Passengers must often book assistance 48 to 72 hours in advance, and failure to do so can result in wait times exceeding 45 minutes or denied boarding.
03Human assistance often involves mandatory wheelchair use and separate circulation channels, which passengers report as creating a sense of marginalization and loss of autonomy.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The review did not assess the quality of the included scientific studies. Data was limited to English and French languages and primarily North American and European airports, potentially missing practices from other regions. The review relied on website information, which authors note is often vague or ambiguous, making it difficult to verify the actual frequency or availability of services. The study did not include direct interviews with passengers about their lived experiences, relying instead on secondary literature and service descriptions.
Declared interests
The project was funded by Norms of Accessibility Canada/the Government of Canada. Some authors receive funding from the Fonds de recherche du Québec. Université Laval and the interdisciplinaire de recherche en réadaptation et intégration sociale contributed to the project's development.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that booking assistance guarantees a dignified or independent experience. The paper reports that standard assistance often involves segregated channels and mandatory wheelchair use that passengers describe as dehumanizing. Furthermore, 'accessible' website descriptions are frequently vague, so patients must verify specific limitations directly with airlines rather than relying on general marketing claims.