Scotland’s airports are continuing to improve accessibility for disabled passengers and those with reduced mobility, with every assessed airport receiving either a Good or Very Good rating as demand for assistance reaches its highest level on record.

The latest Airport Accessibility Report from the UK Civil Aviation Authority found that Aberdeen maintained its Very Good rating, while Glasgow and Inverness both retained their Good ratings.

Edinburgh achieved one of the biggest improvements, moving from Needs Improvement last year to a Very Good rating, while Glasgow Prestwick also improved from Needs Improvement to Good.

Across the UK, 19 of the 28 airports assessed achieved a Very Good rating, with the remaining nine rated Good.

For the first time since the regulator introduced its Airport Accessibility Performance Framework in 2014, no airport received either a Needs Improvement or Poor rating.

The report also highlights the growing demand for assistance services, with a record 5.9 million passengers requesting support during 2025.

Since 2015, requests for assistance have increased by almost 116 per cent, compared with overall passenger growth of just under 24 per cent, demonstrating that demand for accessible travel continues to grow far faster than passenger numbers.

Despite the progress, the report found there is still work to do.

Overall passenger satisfaction with air travel reached 88 per cent, the highest level since the Civil Aviation Authority began its survey in 2016, but satisfaction among passengers with accessibility or disability needs was lower at 82 per cent.

More than half of disabled passengers surveyed also reported difficulties accessing or using airports and flying, with the most common challenges 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.

“We will consult on a revised version of the Framework later this year as we continue to challenge airports to improve further.

“The Civil Aviation Bill currently before Parliament would, if approved, give us additional enforcement powers to better hold airports to account for meeting the legal rights of passengers, including in relation to accessibility.

“This would in time help even further improve performance against our accessibility framework.”

The report covers performance between April 2025 and March 2026 and assesses airports on waiting times for assistance, passenger satisfaction and engagement with disabled people and accessibility organisations.

The findings reflect more than a decade of investment in accessibility services, facilities and staff training, helping make air travel more accessible for millions of passengers across Scotland and the wider UK.