Promoting independent and accessible travel at London Gatwick Airport

For this podcast episode, I interviewed Anna-Ruth Cockerham, Accessibility Manager at London Gatwick Airport. Anna-Ruth is passionate about advocating for the rights of disabled people and educating people about their diverse set of experiences and needs and was recently recognised as one of the UK’s 100 Most Influential Disabled People by the Shaw Trust.

In this podcast, Anna-Ruth discusses the increasing demand for airport assistance services, particularly amongst younger passengers with disabilities who are looking for more personalised assistance. She highlights Gatwick Airport’s initiatives for neurodivergent passengers, including a sensory room and the incorporation of design principles that promote calmness and ease of navigation. Anna-Ruth also talks about the airport’s trial of an assistance app, which connects blind and partially sighted passengers to trained guides, enabling them to navigate the airport independently.

Anna-Ruth goes on to emphasise the importance of designing for accessibility from the start, rather than retrofitting existing infrastructure. She also addresses the challenge of communicating accessibility features to passengers who primarily interact with airlines rather than the airport directly. 

Lastly, Anna-Ruth advises airports embarking on their accessibility journeys to prioritise understanding passenger needs, integrating accessibility into initial design plans, and engaging with local disabled communities.