‘Very good’ status cements push to become UK’s most accessible airport

A renewed push to make Teesside the country’s most accessible airport has been launched following a glowing report from the UK’s aviation regulator.

Teesside received the top “Very Good” rating from the Civil Aviation Authority this year in its annual accessibility report.

And now airport chiefs have vowed to build on this to become the UK’s most accessible to all passengers and users.

Passengers with a disability or reduced mobility are legally entitled to support, commonly known as ‘Special Assistance’, when travelling by air.

This means airports and airlines must provide free help and assistance to ensure a less stressful journey.

Teesside is almost entirely on one level and this year saw an immersive virtual tour – available here – published on its website to demystify surroundings and allow passengers, particularly for those with hidden disabilities, to plan ahead before their journeys begin.

Teesside Airport is also signed up to the internationally recognised Hidden Disability Sunflower scheme to help staff further support those with hidden disabilities.

Passengers have offered positive feedback on their airport experiences.

One said: “The assisted travel option provides myself and my family with peace of mind and helps relieve the stress of travelling alone.”

Another added: “My mum was treated with dignity, and I felt like we were supported as a family.

“We were able to stay together as a group and the people who helped us at different stages of the journey felt like party of our group, chatting with us, rather than an outsider just going through the motions.”

The CAA gives a Very Good rating when 99% of all departing notified disabled passengers and those with reduced mobility are provided with assistance within 30 minutes of making themselves known at a designated point.

And the regulator praised Teesside in its 2023/24 report.

It stated: “It is Teesside’s first year in the quality standards framework due to recent increases in their passenger numbers, and it has also exceeded expectations in terms of response rate and average survey scores for the reporting year.”

Steve Land, General Manager at Teesside Airport, said: “It’s very pleasing to achieve this rating from the CAA and it’s testament to the commitment of all members of our teams. We know our staff go the extra mile and hearing it from our passengers does mean an awful lot.

“But we’re not resting on our laurels, and we know there’s always work to be done to make travelling to and from Teesside a better, smoother and calmer experience for everyone. We’ll keep listening and striving to improve wherever we can.”

More information on access at Teesside Airport is available here – Passenger Assistance – Teesside International Airport