{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,11,2]],"date-time":"2026-11-02T15:25:27Z","timestamp":1793633127319,"version":"4.5.1"},"reference-count":94,"publisher":"Frontiers Media SA","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,27]],"date-time":"2024-08-27T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1724716800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["frontiersin.org"],"crossmark-restriction":true},"short-container-title":["Front. Rehabil. Sci."],"abstract":"<jats:sec><jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title><jats:p>Worldwide, one in six individuals live with a disability. Many people continue to experience disabling situations, particularly when travelling. Travel can be an important part of the lives of many people, including people with disabilities. Barriers to accessing air travel can lead to a reluctance to travel for these potential passengers. As early as the flight planning stage, options to facilitate accessibility are limited. At airports, passengers must travel long distances in areas where navigation is complex, and accessibility limited. Furthermore, few aircraft are accessible. The travel experience can have adverse effects on the health of people with disabilities. Practices are sometimes not inclusive, not always available, and may not address the full spectrum of possible needs. The objective of this study is to provide a state of art on accessibility features available to people with disabilities in the busiest international airports.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title><jats:p>A scoping review of practices in airport accessibility was done. A search strategy was deployed in 4 databases (Avery index to architectural periodicals, Medline, CINAHL, and Web of science). The official websites of the 35 busiest airports were exhaustively consulted. All information regarding accessibility measures and inclusive services were extracted.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Results<\/jats:title><jats:p>31 scientific articles, out of 3,640 screened, and all extracted data from airports\u2019 website were considered for synthesis. While efforts are made in major airports, there is a great inconsistency in accessibility features. Both facilitators and challenges are encountered by people with disabilities at every stage of air travel. These stages include journey planning; getting to and from the airport, obtain human assistance, navigate in the premises, check in, security screening, using facilities, boarding and disembarking, customs and immigration procedures, and luggage management.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec><jats:sec><jats:title>Discussion<\/jats:title><jats:p>Services need to be extensively planned, placing a significant burden on passengers. The disability-centric perspective disregard passengers\u2019 unique needs and capabilities, leading to a sense of dehumanization. The complexity of airport organizations, shared responsibilities, limited communication, training challenges can deter accessibility initiatives and create discomfort during travel. This study is the first step of a broader project supported by Canadian Accessibility Standards, focusing on enhancing inclusive accessibility in Canadian airports.<\/jats:p><\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.3389\/fresc.2024.1305191","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,27]],"date-time":"2024-08-27T05:10:25Z","timestamp":1724735425000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/crossmark-policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":21,"title":["Dehumanizing air travel: a scoping review on accessibility and inclusion of people with disabilities in international airports"],"prefix":"10.3389","volume":"5","author":[{"given":"David","family":"Gotti","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ernesto","family":"Morales","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fran\u00e7ois","family":"Routhier","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jonathan","family":"Riendeau","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Ahmed","family":"Hadj Hassen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1965","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,27]]},"reference":[{"key":"B1","article-title":"Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities","year":"2022"},{"key":"B2","article-title":"Canadian Survey on Disability, 2017 to 2022","year":"2023"},{"key":"B3","article-title":"Rights of people with disabilities 2018","year":""},{"key":"B4","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"66","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tmaid.2018.02.001","article-title":"When travel is a challenge: travel medicine and the \u2018dis-abled\u2019traveller","volume":"22","author":"Bauer","year":"2018","journal-title":"Travel Med Infect Dis"},{"key":"B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"91","DOI":"10.1017\/jht.2012.9","article-title":"(Dis) embodied air travel experiences: disability, discrimination and the affect of a discontinuous air travel chain","volume":"19","author":"Darcy","year":"2012","journal-title":"J Hosp Tour Mana"},{"key":"B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"529","DOI":"10.1016\/j.tourman.2011.06.002","article-title":"Meeting the needs of disabled air passengers: factors that facilitate help from airlines and airports","volume":"33","author":"Chang","year":"2012","journal-title":"Tour Manag"},{"key":"B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"84","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jhtm.2021.03.003","article-title":"Reframing the experiences of travellers with mobility impairments: enhancing the leisure constraints model","volume":"47","author":"Orakani","year":"2021","journal-title":"J Hosp Tour Mana"},{"key":"B8","first-page":"7","article-title":"Accessible tourism and disability service information provided on leading airline websites: a content analysis","volume":"2","author":"Smith","year":"2013","journal-title":"Int J Res Tour"},{"key":"B9","article-title":"Accessibility 2022","year":""},{"key":"B10","article-title":"Arranging for wheelchair and mobility assistance","year":"2022"},{"key":"B11","article-title":"Accessibility","year":"2022"},{"key":"B12","article-title":"BlindSquare","year":"2022"},{"key":"B13","article-title":"MagnusCards","year":"2022"},{"key":"B14","article-title":"Department of Aviation, City of Atlanta. Accessibility","year":"2022"},{"key":"B15","article-title":"Universally designed \u201cCalm down, cool down\u201d spaces","year":"2020"},{"key":"B16","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1515\/9782763710068","volume-title":"La Funambule, le fil et la Toile: Transformations R\u00e9ciproques du Sens du Handicap","author":"Fougeyrollas","year":"2010"},{"key":"B17","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"19","DOI":"10.1080\/1364557032000119616","article-title":"Scoping studies: towards a methodological framework","volume":"8","author":"Arksey","year":"2005","journal-title":"Int J Soc Res Methodol"},{"key":"B18","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1291","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jclinepi.2014.03.013","article-title":"Scoping reviews: time for clarity in definition, methods, and reporting","volume":"67","author":"Colquhoun","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Clin Epidemiol"},{"key":"B19","volume-title":"The Joanna Briggs Institute Reviewers\u2019 Manual 2015 Methodology for JBI Scoping Reviews","year":"2015"},{"key":"B20","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"15","DOI":"10.1186\/s12874-016-0116-4","article-title":"A scoping review on the conduct and reporting of scoping reviews","volume":"16","author":"Tricco","year":"2016","journal-title":"BMC Med Res Methodol"},{"key":"B21","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"114","DOI":"10.1186\/1471-2288-12-114","article-title":"What is the most appropriate knowledge synthesis method to conduct a review? Protocol for a scoping review","volume":"12","author":"Kastner","year":"2012","journal-title":"BMC Med Res Methodol"},{"key":"B22","volume-title":"EndNote. EndNote 20 ed","year":"2013"},{"key":"B23","volume-title":"Covidence","year":"2023"},{"key":"B24","article-title":"2019 Airport Traffic Report","year":"2020"},{"key":"B25","article-title":"Air passenger traffic at Canadian airports, annual","year":"2021"},{"key":"B26","article-title":"2021 Airport Traffic Report","year":"2021"},{"key":"B27","first-page":"37","article-title":"Ecological models of human development","volume":"3","author":"Bronfenbrenner","year":"1994","journal-title":"Int Ency Educ"},{"key":"B28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1037\/13620-004","article-title":"Thematic analysis","author":"Braun","year":"2012"},{"key":"B29","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"807","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cptl.2018.03.019","article-title":"Thematic analysis of qualitative research data: is it as easy as it sounds?","volume":"10","author":"Castleberry","year":"2018","journal-title":"Curr Pharm Teach Learn"},{"key":"B30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1002\/9780470750841","volume-title":"Chapter 7 Analysing Qualitative Data. Qualitative Research in Health Care","author":"Pope","year":"2006"},{"key":"B31","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1277","DOI":"10.1177\/1049732305276687","article-title":"Three approaches to qualitative content analysis","volume":"15","author":"Hsieh","year":"2005","journal-title":"Qual Health Res"},{"key":"B32","article-title":"Nvivo","year":"2020"},{"key":"B33","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"n71","DOI":"10.1136\/bmj.n71","article-title":"The PRISMA 2020 statement: an updated guideline for reporting systematic reviews","volume":"372","author":"Page","year":"2021","journal-title":"BMJ"},{"key":"B34","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"197","DOI":"10.1080\/15256480903088105","article-title":"Senior pleasure tourists: examination of their demography, travel experience, and travel behavior upon visiting the Bangkok metropolis","volume":"10","author":"Batra","year":"2009","journal-title":"Int J Hosp Tour Adm"},{"key":"B35","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"122","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jth.2018.10.002","article-title":"The experiences of parents with children with disabilities travelling on planes: an exploratory study","volume":"11","author":"Davies","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Transp Health"},{"key":"B36","article-title":"Accessibility","year":"2023"},{"key":"B37","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.1093\/jtm\/taz018","article-title":"Severe obesity as a barrier to international travel: a qualitative analysis","volume":"26","author":"Flaherty","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Travel Med"},{"key":"B38","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"3571","DOI":"10.1080\/13683500.2022.2106195","article-title":"Disability e-inclusion for accessible tourism websites","volume":"25","author":"Park","year":"2022","journal-title":"Curr Issues Tour"},{"key":"B39","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"32","DOI":"10.3141\/2206-05","article-title":"Modeling emergency evacuation of individuals with disabilities in a densely populated airport","volume":"2206","author":"Manley","year":"2011","journal-title":"Transp Res Rec"},{"key":"B40","first-page":"2091","article-title":"A joint model for usability and security of the passenger process in airports.","author":"Pirelli","year":"2009"},{"key":"B41","article-title":"Accessibility Statement","year":"2023"},{"key":"B42","article-title":"Accessibility Statement for Dubai Airports","year":"2023"},{"key":"B43","article-title":"Accessibility of public sector websites and mobile apps","year":"2016"},{"key":"B44","article-title":"Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability by Public Accommodations and in Commercial Facilities","year":"2010"},{"key":"B45","article-title":"Accessible Canada Act","year":"2019"},{"key":"B46","article-title":"WCAG 2 Overview","year":"2023"},{"key":"B47","article-title":"Accessibility Statement","year":"2023"},{"key":"B48","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"329","DOI":"10.1016\/j.giq.2010.04.005","article-title":"Up in the air: are airlines following the new DOT rules on equal pricing for people with disabilities when websites are inaccessible?","volume":"27","author":"Lazar","year":"2010","journal-title":"Gov Inf Q"},{"key":"B49","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"672","DOI":"10.1080\/09638288.2020.1774669","article-title":"Multi-stakeholder perspectives of environmental barriers to participation in travel-related activities after spinal cord injury","volume":"44","author":"Cole","year":"2022","journal-title":"Disabil Rehabil"},{"key":"B50","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"7206","DOI":"10.3390\/ijerph18137206","article-title":"Autism Spectrum disorder (ASD) and the family inclusive airport design experience","volume":"18","author":"Cerdan Chiscano","year":"2021","journal-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health"},{"key":"B51","article-title":"Special assistance","year":"2023"},{"key":"B52","article-title":"Accessibility","year":"2023"},{"key":"B53","article-title":"Assistance and accessibility","year":"2023"},{"key":"B54","article-title":"Accessibility","year":"2023"},{"key":"B55","article-title":"Tailored services","year":"2023"},{"key":"B56","article-title":"Inter-Terminal Connections","year":"2023"},{"key":"B57","first-page":"960","article-title":"The human, the built environment and the technology: identifying key configurations for a user-friendly wayfinding system at transport hubs.","author":"Fian","year":"2020"},{"key":"B58","article-title":"Barrier Free assistance service at Adolfo Su\u00e1rez Madrid-Barajas Airport","year":"2023"},{"key":"B59","article-title":"DEN Travel Assist","year":"2023"},{"key":"B60","article-title":"Special Assistance","year":"2023"},{"key":"B61","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","DOI":"10.1145\/3290605.3300246","article-title":"Airport accessibility and navigation assistance for people with visual impairments.","author":"Guerreiro","year":"2019"},{"key":"B62","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"421","DOI":"10.1016\/j.trc.2019.12.010","article-title":"Optimal escort dispatch for airport travelers with reduced mobility","volume":"111","author":"Grahn","year":"2020","journal-title":"Transportation Research Part C-Emerging Technologies"},{"key":"B63","article-title":"Terminal accessibility","year":"2023"},{"key":"B64","article-title":"Extra assistance at Schiphol","year":"2023"},{"key":"B65","article-title":"The Butterfly Effect","year":"2023"},{"key":"B66","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"89","DOI":"10.1016\/j.iatssr.2017.05.003","article-title":"An exploratory study of the experiences of wheelchair users as aircraft passengers\u2014implications for policy and practice","volume":"41","author":"Davies","year":"2017","journal-title":"IATSS Res"},{"key":"B67","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"2612","DOI":"10.3109\/09638281003729540","article-title":"Improving the United States airline industry\u2019s capacity to provide safe and dignified services to travelers with disabilities: focus group findings","volume":"33","author":"McCarthy","year":"2011","journal-title":"Disabil Rehabil"},{"key":"B68","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"1239","DOI":"10.1080\/10941665.2013.852116","article-title":"Perceived onboard service needs of passengers with mobility limitations: an investigation among flight attendants","volume":"19","author":"Wang","year":"2014","journal-title":"Asia Pac J Tour Res"},{"key":"B69","article-title":"Special Assistance","year":"2023"},{"key":"B70","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"167","DOI":"10.1016\/j.ergon.2015.04.003","article-title":"Time and force required for attendants boarding wheelchair users onto aircraft","volume":"48","author":"Holloway","year":"2015","journal-title":"Int J Ind Ergon"},{"key":"B71","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"905","DOI":"10.1108\/ARCH-12-2020-0300","article-title":"Simulation-based service walkthrough (SBSW) to assess airport environment performance","volume":"15","author":"Afacan","year":"2021","journal-title":"ArchNet - IJAR"},{"key":"B72","article-title":"Wheelchairs and Other Assistive Devices","year":"2017"},{"key":"B73","article-title":"Customers Who Require Special Assistance","year":"2022"},{"key":"B74","first-page":"586","article-title":"Georgia Inst technol AGAUSA","author":"Liu","year":"2016"},{"key":"B75","article-title":"Aira","year":"2023"},{"key":"B76","article-title":"Airport facilities and services","year":"2023"},{"key":"B77","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"738","DOI":"10.1016\/j.spinee.2021.12.010","article-title":"Positive security screening episodes of patients with spinal implants are influenced by detector type and not implant material","volume":"22","author":"Arhewoh","year":"2022","journal-title":"Spine J"},{"key":"B78","first-page":"234","article-title":"\u2018Sick with stress\u2019: perspectives on airport travel from persons living with dementia and their travel companions","volume":"21","author":"Peterson","year":"2022","journal-title":"Disabil Soc"},{"key":"B79","article-title":"Accessibility","year":"2023"},{"key":"B80","article-title":"Medication and Medical Items","year":"2023"},{"key":"B81","article-title":"Faqs on security screening for liquids, gels or aerosol","year":"2023"},{"key":"B82","article-title":"Paris A\u00e9roport fait de l\u2019accessibilit\u00e9 une priorit\u00e9","year":"2023"},{"key":"B83","article-title":"Boarding the Airplane as a Wheelchair User If You Cannot Walk","year":"2023"},{"key":"B84","article-title":"Special assistance","year":"2023"},{"key":"B85","unstructured":"Travelling with a disability\n          \n          \n          2023"},{"key":"B86","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"60","DOI":"10.1016\/j.techsoc.2017.07.009","article-title":"The requirement of accessibility: european automated border control systems for persons with disabilities","volume":"52","author":"Oostveen","year":"2018","journal-title":"Technol Soc"},{"key":"B87","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"9","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jairtraman.2020.101851","article-title":"Supporting the needs of special assistance (including PRM) passengers: an international survey of disabled air passenger rights legislation","volume":"87","author":"Budd","year":"2020","journal-title":"J Air Transp Manag"},{"key":"B88","article-title":"Accessibility plan","year":"2023"},{"key":"B89","article-title":"YYC Accessibility Plan 2023-2026","year":"2023"},{"key":"B90","first-page":"347","volume-title":"Promoting Occupational Participation: Collaborative Relationship-Focused Occupational Therapy","author":"Egan","year":"2022"},{"key":"B91","first-page":"10575","article-title":"Travelling from perspective of persons with disability: results of an international survey","volume-title":"Int J Environ Res Public Health","author":"Za\u0142uska","year":"2022"},{"key":"B92","article-title":"Our accessibility statement","year":"2022"},{"key":"B93","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"14","DOI":"10.1016\/j.cor.2020.105103","article-title":"Synchronizing transportation of people with reduced mobility through airport terminals","volume":"125","author":"van Twist","year":"2021","journal-title":"Comput Oper Res"},{"key":"B94","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","DOI":"10.17605\/OSF.IO\/B4VDS","article-title":"Air Transportation","author":"Prajapati","year":"2023"}],"container-title":["Frontiers in Rehabilitation Sciences"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fresc.2024.1305191\/full","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2024,9,26]],"date-time":"2024-09-26T07:10:27Z","timestamp":1727334627000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.frontiersin.org\/articles\/10.3389\/fresc.2024.1305191\/full"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,27]]},"references-count":94,"alternative-id":["10.3389\/fresc.2024.1305191"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3389\/fresc.2024.1305191","relation":{},"ISSN":["2673-6861"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2673-6861","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,27]]},"article-number":"1305191"}}