Overview
The Birmingham Airport Accessibility Forum (BAAF) continued throughout 2025–26 to operate as a pan‑disability, co‑production forum, bringing together Birmingham Airport leadership, key operational partners, national and local disability organisations, and people with lived experience. The forum maintained a clear focus on early engagement, lived‑experience‑led challenge, and tangible improvements across the end‑to‑end passenger journey.
Representation and engagement remained strong, supported by hybrid attendance, enabling wide participation and maintaining the forum as a safe, constructive and influential space for collaboration.
Operational Performance and Assisted Travel
Passenger volumes during the year reached approximately 13.9 million, with demand for Assisted Travel continuing to grow at a faster rate than overall passenger growth. Around 334,000 passengers registered with the Assisted Travel team and required assistance, with forecasts indicating growth to nearly 395,000 passengers in the following year, however we also anticipate a number of passengers use the airport independently without support from the Assisted Travel team.
Regulatory performance remained strong, with ECAC targets achieved for both pre‑advised and non‑pre‑advised passengers across the reporting year. Assisted Travel delays continued to reduce year‑on‑year, delivering improved on‑time performance and a better customer experience.
Customer Satisfaction for Assisted Travel remained the highest‑scoring service area across the airport, reaching approximately 89%, significantly exceeding corporate targets. Forum members welcomed this performance while continuing to challenge the airport to look beyond headline scores and focus on dignity, independence and confidence.
Mobilisation of the Assisted Travel Contract and Operating Model Change
During 2025–26, the forum was actively engaged in the mobilisation of the new Assisted Travel contract with Wilson James. Members were kept informed of mobilisation progress, risks and mitigations, particularly during the early transitional period.
The forum was also consulted on feedback relating to the move away from the previous hybrid operating model. Forum members were invited to share views on the new fully outsourced operating model, with discussions focusing on service consistency, accountability, training quality and long‑term sustainability.
Following consultation, Birmingham Airport transitioned operational delivery fully to the service provider, enabling the airport to refocus internal resource on accessibility strategy, training oversight, journey design and continuous improvement. A big part of this decision was based on direct feedback from forum members around the challenges around change and delays in implementation of key projects. The members welcomed this change and can see the positives.
Investment and Infrastructure
Support and engagement from the senior leadership team remain in place through approval of significant investment which continues to support accessibility outcomes, including around £4 million dedicated to new purpose‑built ambulift vehicles, with twelve new ambulifts scheduled to be operational by summer 2026. This represented the first time Birmingham Airport had procured vehicles specifically designed for Assisted Travel use.
The forum provided early accessibility input into a range of infrastructure projects, including terminal refurbishment proposals, seating layouts, wayfinding, and calmer waiting environments for passengers requiring assistance.
Training and Capacity Building
A key area of progress during 2025–26 was accessibility and disability awareness training, with a particular focus on neurodiversity and autism awareness in partnership with Resources for Autism.
In‑person autism and neurodiversity training was delivered to approximately 50 colleagues from across the airport, as a direct result of the partnership with Resource for Autism from the forum. The training was focusing on lived experience, practical understanding and real‑world passenger interactions. This training formed part of a structured programme rather than a one‑off intervention, with plans for further training modules and the development of Autism Champions across the business.
In addition to training delivery, Resources for Autism actively supported Birmingham Airport with the design and development of sensory spaces, including engagement on the sensory pod concept. Forum discussions and specialist input helped shape considerations around layout, sensory regulation, noise management, and flexibility of use to better meet the needs of neurodivergent passengers and their families. Although not yet installed this will be a great addition to Birmingham Airport and it’s neurodivergent customers once complete.
Forum members recognised that while scale and logistics remain challenges, the partnership with Resources for Autism represents a meaningful step towards sustained cultural change and improved confidence for both colleagues and passengers.
Security and Hidden Disabilities
The forum continued to facilitate open and constructive dialogue with Security colleagues. Discussions focused on balancing legislative requirements with dignity and compassion, particularly for passengers with hidden disabilities and those using body‑worn medical devices.
The introduction and discussion of Medical Device Awareness cards, alongside lived‑experience insight, helped shape future training priorities and supported improved mutual understanding between Security teams and passengers.
Parking and Landside Accessibility
Parking accessibility remained a complex and ongoing challenge. Discussions addressed accessible bay availability, misuse of Blue Badge bays, enforcement limitations, and constraints linked to car park design, lifts and evacuation requirements. Parking was formally retained as a standing agenda item, with continued collaboration between the airport, NCP and forum members.
Forum Culture and Effectiveness
Throughout the year, the forum continued to demonstrate open, respectful and non‑judgemental engagement. Feedback and discussion consistently translated into action, reinforcing trust and credibility. The forum increasingly functioned as a strategic accessibility partner, influencing operational delivery, training design and investment decisions rather than acting as a compliance‑focused group.
Unfortunately we said goodbye to Andy Wright as the Chairmen of the Accessibility forum. Andy provided great insight & accountability and will always be welcome back as a member of the forum should he so wish. In saying goodbye to Andy we also welcomed Jerry Angrave as our new Chairman of the accessibility forum. Jerry brings a wealth of knowledge, has lived experience and plays a significant role in other airport and airline forums across the UK.
Looking Ahead
Key priorities identified moving into 2026–27 include scaling autism and neurodiversity training, embedding Autism Champions, progressing solutions to arrivals and landside accessibility challenges, and continuing site‑based accessibility walk‑throughs to identify real‑world pinch points across the passenger journey.