A former Civil Aviation Authority consumer panel chairman will help oversee a £30 million investment at Heathrow to help disabled travellers.
Keith Richards, who chaired the aviation regulator’s independent consumer group for six years until 2017, has been named co-chair of the Heathrow Access Advisory Group (HAAG) alongside disability campaigner Helen Dolphin, a current member of the CAA’s consumer panel.
Richards was also head of consumer affairs at Abta until 2010.
Accessible travel consultant Geraldine Lundy, previously with Virgin Atlantic, will provide support as vice-chair of the independent group looking at accessibility and inclusion at the London hub.
Members of the group will oversee more than £30 million of spend in new equipment, resources and technology.
Heathrow is working with the Royal National Institute of Blind People to trial Navilens technology – a system of bespoke markers and a detection algorithm to guide visually impaired passengers through the airport. Trials are set to begin in early spring.
Heathrow customer relations and service director, Liz Hegarty, said: “We’re really looking forward to working with the new team to continue to improve and co-create the future of our assistance services – for those travelling with us today, and the passengers who will fly through an expanded Heathrow in the future.
“The new team are all very passionate about making Heathrow accessible and inclusive for all and their energy and expertise will prove invaluable for the airport and our passengers as Heathrow kick-starts its decade of delivery.”
Dolphin added: “This is a really exciting time to be working with Heathrow airport as it embarks on another decade of investment for passengers of the airport.
“I’m passionate about ensuring disabled people have the same opportunities to fly as everyone else and ensuring Heathrow provides the best assistance service in the world.”
Richards added: “It’s an exciting time to be part of a change programme which will challenge the airport to improve its assistance services, making air travel more inclusive and giving more people the confidence to fly.”