New ‘Flier Friendly’ programme launched to support air passengers traveling with electric mobility aids

Aviation Services UK, which represents airport ground services firms in the UK, has worked with airlines, airports, and manufacturers to provide practical help for passengers

Aviation Services UK (ASUK), the trade association representing ground services providers, has launched a new industry-led initiative, the Flier Friendly Programme, to improve the experience of passengers travelling withbattery-powered mobility aids. ASUK members handle over 80% of all UK flights.

The programme helps to deliver the recommendations of a review chaired by Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson, and has been developed by ASUK with support from airlines, airports, ground handlers, and leading mobility aid manufacturers, including Sunrise Medical.

The aim is to encourage better preparation, stronger information sharing, and closer coordination across the aviation and mobility sectors.

David Leighton FRSA, Chief Executive at ASUK, said; “No one wants to see customers experience delays or be denied boarding. And no one wants to see devices damaged. The Flier Friendly Programme is about encouraging practical steps that support both safety management and passenger accessibility.

“It is an industry-led best practice initiative. It does not replace airline approvals processes or regulatory requirements, nor does it guarantee carriage. But we believe it is an important step forward, and we’re delighted to have the support of the British Healthcare Trades Association and leading manufacturers like Sunrise Medical and eFOLDi in making it happen.”

The launch comes at a time of increasing international focus on battery safety in aviation. Global regulators are reviewing how high-energy lithium-ion batteries installed in mobility aids are assessed and approved for carriage, reinforcing the importance of robust information, clear documentation, and good handling practices.

Faith Brown, Clinical and Education Lead at Sunrise Medical, said; “We know flying can be a source of stress for people living with a disability. That’s why we’re excited to be involved in this important initiative and to remove one of the barriers to air travel wheelchair users face.

“As one of the country’s leading mobility aids manufacturers, we believe it is our duty to accompany travellers to the best of our ability by ensuring full transparency when it comes to key travel documentation. We have already added battery safety information and advice to our website, and all of our devices are fitted with batteries that are fully compliant with the UN standards on battery safety.

“Travelling shouldn’t be inaccessible to people using mobility aids. This is just the beginning, and we’re looking forward to continuing to work with key industry players to improve disabled people experiences.”

A key deliverable from the Flier Friendly programme is the EMA Air Travel Pack, which provides practical tools to help passengers prepare in advance and share the technical information airlines may require as part of their approvals process.

The Pack includes:

• A traveller guide with practical tips on preparing for air travel with an electric mobility aid;

• A structured technical information form covering device specifications, battery type and Watt-hour (Wh) rating, and handling instructions, which can be populated by customers, printed or saved to their computer or mobile device; and

• Guidance explaining UN38.3 lithium battery compliance documentation and how to obtain it.

Lithium batteries used in mobility aids must be of a type that meets United Nations Manual of Tests and Criteria, Part III, Sub-section 38.3 (UN38.3).

While airline requirements may vary, ensuring that UN38.3 Test Summaries are readily accessible can help improve the visibility of battery compliance information when requested as part of an airline’s assessment.

The programme also promotes clearer and more durable battery labelling. Over time, paper labels can deteriorate, making critical information such as Watt-hour ratings difficult to read at the point of acceptance.

ASUK is encouraging manufacturers to adopt robust synthetic labelling materials that resist water, chemicals and repeated handling, helping ensure essential battery information remains legible throughout the life of the product.

Manufacturers supporting the programme agree to make the Air Travel Pack available to their customers, ensure UN38.3 Test Summaries for the batteries in their devices are accessible, and collaborate with the aviation sector to help handlers better understand how increasingly complex mobility aids can be safely handled, as well as explore other design solutions to make mobility aids less vulnerable to damage.

David Leighton concluded; “Passengers who rely on electric mobility aids should be able to travel with confidence and clarity, and we hope that more mobility aid manufacturers, who share this goal, will join the Flier Friendly Programme. There is much more that needs to be done, but it’s clear that cementing collaboration between the aviation and mobility aid manufacturing sectors is essential to make the progress we all want to see.”