Teesside Airport flying high on accessibility

An airport has been praised for making air travel more accessible.

Teesside International Airport has been rated “Very Good” for accessibility by the Civil Aviation Authority for the second year running, recognising that over 99 per cent of passengers with disabilities received timely assistance.

Working with the North East Autism Society (NEAS), the airport is developing a new video to highlight hidden disabilities and raise awareness among staff and travellers.

Other initiatives include an online virtual tour to help passengers plan ahead and its continued involvement in the Hidden Disability Sunflower scheme.

Kerrie Highcock, family development manager at NEAS, said: “We’re delighted to see Teesside Airport once again recognised for its commitment to accessibility. 

“The airport’s proactive efforts to understand and address the challenges faced by autistic and neurodivergent passengers demonstrate a genuine dedication to inclusive travel.

“They have shown a willingness to adapt their services to meet the diverse needs of its passengers, creating an environment where people can feel confident and supported throughout their journey.”

The airport also launched an Accessibility Forum in 2023, bringing together disability groups and customers to support continued improvements.

Tom Berwick, passenger operations manager at Teesside Airport, leads the team when it comes to making the airport more accessible.

He said: “We’re very pleased to receive this rating from the CAA once again. 

“All our staff are trained in assistance awareness training, and we work very hard to both meet our legal requirements and go a step further.

“It was a pleasure to host NEAS to hear about some of things we do well, but alongside listening to our accessibility forum, it’s been good to hear about what more we can do to make journeys to and from Teesside as smooth as possible.”

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