The tourism sector has welcomed new reforms to improve transparency, boost competition and make air travel easier for people living with disability included in the Aviation White Paper, according to the Tourism & Transport Forum (TTF) Australia.

TTF CEO Margy Osmond said the 56 different policies released today mark a ‘significant step forward’ towards creating a stronger aviation system in Australia for decades to come, whilst supporting a fairer and more sustainable future for the industry.

She also praised the Federal Government for its commitment to increasing accessibility for passengers living with disability.

“We want all Australians and international visitors to have an inclusive and enjoyable experience when travelling. The changes announced today are a significant step towards ensuring everyone can fly with greater ease and dignity,” Ms Osmond said.

“The industry has long been committed to supporting greater coordination between airlines and airports to help passengers living with disability, covering the full journey until they leave the terminal at their destination.”

“In too many cases, passengers haven’t received the support they need in instances where it’s been unclear whether airport or airline staff are responsible for providing assistance.”

“By lifting the standard for accessibility in air travel, these reforms will help remove barriers and pave the way for as many people as possible to travel with confidence and comfort.”

Ms Osmond welcomed the full spectrum of changes, including a review of limits on the number of passengers who require assistance, public reporting of compliance with new disability standards, new accessible user guides to inform passengers about their rights and improved remedies for damage to mobility devices.

She also expressed her support for the new Aviation Industry Ombuds Scheme and Customer Rights Charter as ‘sensible’ measures to assist passengers impacted by flight disruptions.

“We welcome efforts to increase transparency and accountability around flight cancellations and delays to ensure customers’ rights are upheld,” Ms Osmond said.

“This will make it much clearer for consumers to understand why flights were disrupted and what remedies are available to them.”

“Industry looks forward to working with the Federal Government to inform the scheme’s design and the legislation that underpins it.”

Ms Osmond also welcomed already announced measures to support investment in low carbon liquid fuel to reduce emissions, improve skills in the aviation workforce and efforts to enable new aviation and advanced air mobility technologies, among other changes.

ENDS