CONCERNING THE RIGHTS OF DISABLED PERSONS AND PERSONS WITH REDUCED MOBILITY WHEN TRAVELLING BY AIR

Civil Aviation Agency of Latvia informs that a REGULATION (EC) No 1107/2006 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air was published by the European Commission on 5 July 2006 and came into force in two stages. Article 3 and 4 came into force on 26 July 2007 and the remainder of the Regulation came into force on 26 July 2008.

This Regulation establishes rules for the protection of and provision of assistance to disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility travelling by air, both to protect them against discrimination and to ensure that they receive assistance.

The provisions of this Regulation shall apply to disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility, using or intending to use commercial passenger air services on transit through, or on arrival at an airport, when the airport is situated in the territory of a Member State to which the Treaty establishing the European Community applies.

The provisions of this Regulation shall also apply to persons whose mobility is restricted by either a disability or impairment, their health or age, or a temporary mobility problem.

Disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility should therefore be accepted for carriage and not refused transport on the grounds of their disability or lack of mobility, except for reasons which are justified on the grounds of safety and prescribed by law.

The Regulation covers flights from, transiting through, or arriving at an airport situated in the EU. It also applies to Community airlines operating into the EU from a Third Country, such as the United States.

In accordance with Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 and Air Navigation Order paragraph 88.¹ Civil Aviation Agency is a national enforcement body in Latvia for the EC Regulation concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility. Bodies responsible for the enforcement of the Regulation in other member states are shown in this list.

It is important that a disabled person or person with reduced mobility who considers that this Regulation has been infringed addresses the managing body of the airport or the airline concerned. If the disabled person or person with reduced mobility cannot obtain satisfaction in such way, he or she should make a complaint to the Civil Aviation Agency by filling out a “Disabled Person and Person with Reduced Mobility Complaint/Comment Form” and sending it to prm@caa.gov.lv.


Informative material published by European Commission concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when traveling by air:
https://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/transport-disability/reduced-mobility/indexamp_en.htm