Discrimination against disabled persons who wish to travel by air

Doc. 8524

17 September 1999

Discrimination against disabled persons who wish to travel by air

Written Question No. 380

Reply from the Committee of Ministers

adopted at the 679^th meeting of the Ministers' Deputies (15 September 1999)

I. Written Question by Mrs Squarcialupi (Doc. 8409)

Having regard to the fact that Mr Roberto Vitali, an official of the information centre on the autonomy and independence of disabled persons of the municipality of Ferrara (Italy) was unable to take part in the colloquy, to which he had been invited, on new optical technologies for an independent life, held in Eindhoven (Netherlands), because the airline KLM refused in writing to issue him with a ticket for the flight Amsterdam-Eindhoven, even though he had given advanced notice of his condition, because this airline does not accept on internal flights passengers with motor disabilities who cannot walk, unless they have someone accompanying them,

Mrs Squarcialupi,

To ask the Committee of Ministers to report on the severe discrimination which disabled persons who wish to travel by air continue to suffer, which prevents these persons from living a normal life and exercising their occupation or profession.

II. Reply from the Committee of Ministers

The Committee of Ministers has taken note of Written Question No. 380 on “discrimination against disabled persons who wish to travel by air”.

This issue is to be seen in the general context of independence of people with disabilities.

The Committee of Ministers refers in this connection to Recommendation No. R (92) 6 on a coherent policy for people with disabilities, in particular the chapter on their social integration and environment, and draws the Assembly's attention to the activities of the Committee on the Rehabilitation and Integration of People with disabilities (Partial Agreement) (CD-P-RR), which aim to promote their independence..

The Committee of Ministers is aware of the fact that provisions governing travelling by plane of persons with disabilities fall within the province of the I.C.A.O., E.C.A.C. and air companies. It nevertheless acknowledges the relevance of the CD-P-RR examining such provisions.

Bearing this in mind, the Representatives, on the Committee of Ministers, of the member States of the Partial Agreement in the Social and Public Health field have instructed the CD-P-RR to study the feasibility and advisability of a comparative analysis of the way in which the air companies of the member and observer countries of the CD-P-RR implement the recommendations of ICAO or those of ECAC as regards travelling by plane of persons with disabilities.