Fresh laws come into force this week on the way that disabled people access air travel.

The introduction of a new EC Regulation giving disabled people and people with reduced mobility, new rights when travelling through European airports has received a broad welcome from NI Transport Minister Conor Murphy today.

He noted that the new regulation will come into force from 26 July and imposes new legal obligations on airport operators, air carriers, their agents and tour operators.

Under this regulation the responsibility for providing services to people with disabilities or reduced mobility now lies with the airport operators.

Airport operators will be required to organise the provision of the services necessary to enable disabled/reduced mobility passengers to board, disembark and transit between flights.

Costs will be recovered through a charge on airlines proportionate to the total number of passengers they carry to and from the airport with no charges to the passenger requiring assistance. Airlines will also be required to provide certain assistance onboard the aircraft.

Conor Murphy said: "This regulation will bring a much needed consistency to the standards set across Europe and introduces measures which are designed to protect the rights of disabled passengers and those with reduced mobility when travelling by air.

"This is a positive step in ensuring the same access to services for everyone when they fly," he said.

The Minister also welcomed the updated Code of Practice. He said: "The code is a positive step to aiding and guiding our airport industry towards meeting the requirements set out in the Regulation.

"We anticipate that our three airports in the North will measure up to these new standards of compliance."

The Civil Aviation Authority has been given the power to enforce the Regulation across the UK and to prosecute any guilty airport operator in breach of the law.

(BMcC)