Accessible air travel for people living with dementia

Improving the accessibility of UK air travel for passengers with dementia and their companions
Miniature aeroplane model placed on a map of the world, over the North Atlantic Ocean. 
Improving access to air travel for people living with dementia and their companions has been a priority area for researchers and students at the University of Plymouth since 2015.
This webpage has been devised to collate key research and projects undertaken by Dr Alison Warren , Dr Kate Turner and Mr Ian Sherriff BEM at the University of Plymouth with support from key stakeholders. It also highlights the importance of working together locally, nationally and internationally to generate positive and sustainable change. It is hoped that by acting as a resource to access key documents; sharing best practice and devising further research this site will continue to improve the lives of people seeking to travel with a hidden disability.

Research timeline

  • A2015 – School of Health Professions PhD Studentship awarded

  • .2016 – Research Clusters with OT students: air travel and hidden disability commenced

  • A2017 – Alzheimer's Society summer studentships

  • A2019 – Alzheimer's Society summer studentships

  • S2020 – I-DAir international collaboration formed

  • (2021 – Research England QR Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF) pop-up exhibition

  • b2021 – Flying with Dementia - Heathrow booklet

  • [2022 – Doctoral research completed

  • x2023 – Improving accessibility of UK air travel for passengers with non-visible disabilities: lessons from research

This timeline indicates key pieces of our work since 2015. More information is listed below.

People involved with research

The stakeholders listed have contributed to the Prime Minister’s Dementia Group for Air Transport since its inception in 2015.
Following a seminal debate in Parliament to raise awareness of the challenges experienced by people travelling who have dementia (Hansard, 2016), group members have collaborated on projects, research and presentations.
  • Occupational Therapy Lecturers and students
  • Dementia Ambassadors
  • Cabin Crew/Cabin Crew Trainers
  • Passenger Experience Consultants
  • Local Dementia Support organisations
  • Hidden Disability Advocates

Research undertaken

SOHP PhD Studentship
Funding awarded by the School of Health Professions, University of Plymouth to Dr Alison Warren to supervise doctoral research related to air travel and people living with dementia.
Doctoral Research Completed by Dr Kate Turner
Dementia friendly flying: investigating the accessibility of air travel for people living with Dementia – view the full research thesis
Improving the accessibility of UK air travel for passengers with non-visible disabilities
Research England QR Strategic Priorities Fund (SPF) pop up exhibition
The team commissioned award-winning cartoonist Tony Husband to develop images highlighting some of the accessibility issues raised by people living with dementia and their companions when travelling by air to share findings from research.
Illustration showing the importance of how people speak to you, and the difference between rude and helpful staff at an airport.
Illustration showing the importance of how people speak to you, and the difference between rude and helpful staff at an airport.
Artist: Tony Husband

I-DAir: International

When undertaking research on topics such as air travel, international collaborations are key. This led to the development of an International Dementia Air Travel working group (I-DAir). I-DAir highlights worldwide initiatives that are improving the experience of air travel for people affected by dementia and other hidden disabilities across the globe. At the inception of the group, stakeholders were keen to have a name with different meanings and messages including I for international, D for dementia, and AIR for air travel, but the group’s acronym also says “I dare to travel” to convey the enabling ethos of the group.
We are proud to be connected to the following researchers/advocates through I-DAir:
Occupational Therapy Student Research Cluster
Occupational Therapy as a profession supports engagement in meaningful occupations therefore students have been encouraged to undertake research as part of their pre-registration education related to air travel experiences, living with dementia and hidden disabilities. The findings form this research has informed the ongoing work of the Prime Minister’s Dementia Challenge Group for Air Transport.
Alzheimer’s Society Summer Studentships
To date, three occupational therapy students have been successful in being awarded Summer studentship funding by the Alzheimer’s Society to undertake projects related to Air Travel and dementia. These small surveys have been valuable in capturing experiences of people living with dementia, their travel companions and staff working in airports to inform guidance.

Related publications and presentations
Warren, A., Turner, K., O’Reilly, M., Sherriff, I.K.G. (2023) ‘Chapter 7: Occupational Justice’ in Maclean, F., Warren, A., Hunter, E. and Westcott, L. (ed.) Occupational Therapy and Dementia: Promoting Inclusion, Rights and Opportunities for People Living with Dementia. London: Jessica Kingsley Publishers, pp 93-106
Howard, M., Sherriff, I., Warren, A., Turner, T., O’Reilly, M., La Bey, L., Garcia, L., Mulvey, M., Shouse, D., Zoglin, R. & Cowie, H., (2020) I-D-air travel: international dementia-air travel, 34th Virtual International Conference of Alzheimer’s Disease International, Singapore, 10-12 December 2020.
Warren A., Sherriff, I, Turner, K., Bourne, D. Roberts, C., Goodrick, J., Chami, H & Fremantle, J. (2019) Air Travel Connections: creating a hub of collaborators to enhance flight experiences for People with Dementia and their Companions 29th Alzheimer’s Europe Conference, The Hague, October 2019.
Turner, K., Warren, A., Sherriff, I & Bannigan, K. (2019) Air travel for people with dementia: working together to identify barriers and facilitators to participation 29th Alzheimer’s Europe Conference, The Hague, October 2019.
Turner, K., Warren, A., Bannigan, K. and Sherriff, I. (2018) ‘How ‘Dementia Friendly’ is Air Travel? Identifying the barriers and facilitators to flying for people living with Dementia’. Poster presented to The Alzheimer’s Society Annual Conference, London, 22-23 May.
Turner, K., Warren, A., Bannigan, K. and Sherriff, I. (2018) ‘How ‘Dementia Friendly’ is Air Travel? Identifying the barriers and facilitators to flying for people living with Dementia’. Poster presented to The Alzheimer’s Society Annual Conference, London, 22-23 May.
Turner, K., Warren, A., Bannigan, K. and Sherriff, I. (2018) ‘Rising to the Challenge: How can we make air travel more accessible for people with dementia across Europe?’ Presentation to 28th Alzheimer Europe Conference Making Dementia A European Priority, Barcelona, Spain, 29-31 October.
Turner, K., Warren, A., Bannigan, K. and Sherriff, I. (2018) ‘Creating a 'dementia friendly' flying guide: learning from lived experience’. Poster presented to UK Dementia Congress, Brighton, 6-8 November.
Warren, A. (2017) ‘Collaboration, Innovation and Research: promoting Dementia Friendly Flying’, OT Show, Keynote, NEC Birmingham, UK
Warren, A., Turner, K. and Chami, H. (2017) ‘Working together to promote dementia friendly flying’. OTnews, February 40-41.
Warren, A. (2017) Occupational Justice: Working collaboratively to promote Dementia-Friendly Flying. ENOTHE, 26th-28th October, Zagreb, Croatia
Warren, A., Freemantle, J., Wilkins, A. Chami, H., Rabet, R. & Giles, T. (2016) ‘Aviation and Dementia Innovations and Solutions for the Future’, Fifth Plymouth Dementia Conference.

People

 
We are grateful for the funding received from the University of Plymouth and the Alzheimer’s Society in support of this work.