Accessible Travel Belongs in the Mainstream
Last week, FlightPath3D had the privilege of taking part in the second annual Travel For Every Body Awards, which recognize initiatives and innovations that make travel more accessible.
Organized by Selling Travel magazine, the ceremony took place on Thursday, October 1st at the voco hotel in central Manchester. It brought together representatives from hotels, travel agencies, airlines, cruise lines, destinations, the media, charitable organizations and technology suppliers, alongside policy makers and travelers with disabilities.
FlightPath3D was a finalist in the Digital Innovation category for our Accessibility Map, the airline industry’s first inflight map designed for passengers with visual, motor and/or cognitive impairments. While we didn’t take home the top prize, we were proud to be recognized alongside inventive digital solutions helping people with disabilities travel more confidently.
The afternoon also offered a valuable reminder of why this work matters—and why accessibility deserves a place at the center of the travel industry’s thinking.
Following networking and drinks, David Ezra, UK PR Director at KBC PR & Marketing, welcomed guests. He explained that attending the inaugural ceremony in 2025 had inspired him to return to his colleagues with a clear message: they needed to get involved.
For Ezra, accurate, reliable information is one of the most important things travel organizations can provide for people with accessibility requirements. It helps travelers understand their options and make informed decisions.
“It was very, very clear that accessible travel should be viewed as mainstream,” he said. “And by investing in it, there's a big payoff in attracting more clients, or more visitors to your destination.”
That connection between inclusion and commercial opportunity became a central theme of the afternoon.
Dr Emma Partlow, an awards judge and CEO of the National Centre for Accessible Transport, brought both sides of the discussion into focus. She began with research showing how barriers affect disabled people’s ability—and willingness—to travel.
According to the Centre’s research, 92% of disabled people experience barriers when traveling, while 79% travel less often because of them. More than four in five report that their journeys take longer, and three quarters say those barriers create stress.
These barriers can be physical, social or technological. As Partlow put it: “Accessibility doesn’t start or end with an accessible bathroom, a ramp, or a lift.”
For travel businesses, the figures point to demand that is going unmet. They also challenge us to consider the whole journey. A traveler may have access to an aircraft, hotel or attraction, yet still encounter information, interfaces or processes that make the experience difficult.
Partlow then brought the discussion back to the people behind the numbers.
“What's really important is what sits beneath those statistics. They are human beings. They are people, families, friends, colleagues.”
The consequences extend beyond missed holidays. Barriers to travel can also mean missed opportunities to access work, education, healthcare and community life.
That is why sharing examples of progress matters. Partlow described the awards as a way to highlight what works, build momentum and help the sector move towards a more inclusive future. She also thanked finalists for embedding accessibility from the outset, speaking both in her professional capacity and as a disabled person who travels frequently.
For FlightPath3D, that message has particular relevance. An inflight moving map helps passengers understand their journey: where they are, where they are going and how their flight is progressing. Making that information accessible gives more passengers the opportunity to explore and engage with the experience.
Digital accessibility is part of the wider travel experience. The way information is presented, the ease of navigating an interface and the ability to use a service independently all deserve consideration when designing for passengers.
We left Manchester proud of our recognition, but also encouraged by the commitment across the room. Airlines, destinations, travel businesses and technology suppliers each have a role to play, and each improvement can help remove a barrier somewhere along the journey.
The strongest message of the afternoon was that accessibility belongs in everyday decisions about how travel is designed and delivered. When it is considered from the beginning, more people have the opportunity to take part—and the whole industry stands to benefit.