We are seeking feedback on policy options for the aviation disability standards, which will help address air travel barriers faced by people with disability.
Why we want your input
Your feedback on the consultation paper will help us make sure the new standards address barriers to air travel and are fit for purpose.How you can voice your opinion
Review the consultation paper and tell us what you think by making a submission. Supporting documents and alternative ways to have your say are provided below.What will be the outcome of this consultation?
Your submission will inform the development of new aviation disability standards.The issue
Equitable access to air travel is important for people with disability to connect with their community and access essential services and support. However, people with disability continue to face barriers when travelling by air, including inaccessible facilities and services at airports, and airline practices and systems that do not meet their needs.
These barriers can occur across the whole passenger journey—from booking a flight, to checking in at the airport, travelling on the aircraft and disembarking at the destination. While air travel has unique safety, security and operational requirements, airlines and airports must also make sure they do not discriminate in the services they provide.
TheDisability Discrimination Act 1992 aims to eliminate, as far as possible, discrimination on the basis of disability. The Disability Standards for Accessible Public Transport 2002 (Transport Standards) set out the responsibilities of public transport providers and operators, including airlines and airports. Despite this existing framework, people with disability have made it clear that barriers to accessible air travel remain.
In the 2024 Aviation White Paper: Towards 2050, the Australian Government committed to co-design new aviation disability standards. These standards would affirm the rights of people with disability during air travel and clarify the obligations of airlines and airports to provide equal access.
Co-designing solutions
To guide the development of the new standards, the department established an Aviation Accessibility Steering Committee with members from the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations, People with Disability Australia, the Justice and Equity Centre and relevant Australian Government departments.
In 2025, the department and the Steering Committee held 3 co-design workshops with people with disability. Participants identified barriers across the air travel journey and developed possible solutions. These co-designed solutions, together with input from organisations representing people with disability and subject matter experts from the aviation sector, informed the options presented in the consultation paper.
The consultation paper sets out proposed solutions across 4 stages of the journey:
- whole of journey
- booking and planning
- at the airport
- on the aircraft.
These proposals include options for new regulations, best-practice (non-regulatory) guidance, and in some cases maintaining current arrangements (where other legal frameworks already apply or are expected to apply soon).
We are seeking feedback on the proposed policy options, including which approaches are preferred and any information that may help with implementation. This feedback will also inform the impact analysis needed to finalise the aviation disability standards.
Further information regarding the development of the aviation disability standards can be found at: www.infrastructure.gov.au/aviation-accessibility.
Relevant documentation
The department has developed the supporting documents and resources below to help you participate in the consultation process.
Aviation disability standards—Consultation paper
- Aviation disability standards—Consultation paper [PDF, Word version and Braille Ready Format]
Fact sheets
Fact Sheets [Auslan, PDF and Word versions, Easy Read and Braille Ready Format]:
- Fact sheet—How we got here—the journey to new aviation disability standards
- Fact sheet—1. Whole of journey—options for new disability standards
- Fact sheet—2. Planning and booking air travel—options for new disability standards
- Fact sheet—3. At the airport—options for new disability standards
- Fact sheet—4. On the aircraft—options for new disability standards
Consultation question survey [online and Word versions]
This survey is an alternative to making a submission and guides you through the consultation paper with a summary of each issue, regulatory options, and consultation questions. If you choose to complete the survey, you do not need to also make a submission through this page.
More information
Hard copy versions and other translations of the fact sheets are available upon written request to AviationAccessibility@infrastructure.gov.au or by phoning 1800 621 372, Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm AEST (except public holidays).
Please note that Braille Ready Format (BRF) files may require compatible technology, such as a refreshable Braille display to access.
Further information regarding the development of the aviation disability standards can be found at: www.infrastructure.gov.au/aviation-accessibility.
Online information sessions
During the consultation period the department will host 3 online information sessions for anyone interested in making a submission through the aviation disability standards consultation process.
At the information sessions we will explain how the standards are being developed and outline the proposed options. There will also be opportunity to ask questions about the consultation paper before preparing your submission.
The sessions will be run by The Social Deck (TSD) using Microsoft Teams. TSD will make sure the sessions are accessible for everyone. You can let them know about any accessibility needs at registration.
A recording of session #1 will be available on this page for anyone who cannot attend an online session.
Session details and registration links
Dates and times for the information sessions will be confirmed here shortly. To be notified when this information is available, please email AviationAccessibility@infrastructure.gov.au or phone 1800 621 372.
Session #1 (Open to all)
Register with The Social Deck at https://events.humanitix.com/webinar-on-the-new-aviation-disability-standards-public
Session #2 (Open to organisations that represent and support people with disability)
Register with The Social Deck at https://events.humanitix.com/webinar-on-the-new-aviation-disability-standards-disability-representative-organisations
Session #3 (Open to aviation industry, e.g. airports and airlines)
Register with The Social Deck at https://events.humanitix.com/webinar-on-the-new-aviation-disability-standards-industry
Participate
06 Aug 2026 07:00 AEST
02 Oct 2026 23:59 AEST
Open
days
remaining 57 of 58
We invite you to tell us your views on this topic.
Please include:
- contact name
- organisation name, if applicable
- contact details including telephone number, postal address and email address
- confirmation whether your submission can be made public (published on this page following conclusion of the consultation period)—or kept confidential (will not be published)
- confirmation whether your submission can be shared with the Aviation Accessibility Steering Committee (see the Privacy Collection Notice for more information).
If your submission is to be made public, please ensure you do not include any personal information that you don't want to be published.
If your submission is confidential, please ensure each page of the submission is marked as confidential.
Public submissions must meet the Digital Service Standard for accessibility. If they do not, we may modify them before publishing.
When making a submission please tell us whether the proposed options for the new standards would overcome barriers to air travel for people with disability and eliminate discrimination. You can also tell us what should change and suggest other options.
Please click on the 'Have your say' button below to upload your submission.
You can also provide feedback on individual policy options or the whole consultation paper, through any of these options:
- Complete the Consultation question survey [online and Word versions]
-
Email a written, video or audio submission to AviationAccessibility@infrastructure.gov.au.
(Add, 'Consultation paper submission', in the subject heading.)
- Send a letter to:
Director
Aviation Accessibility
Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts
GPO Box 594
CANBERRA ACT 2601
- Telephone (free call) 1800 621 372, Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm AEST (except public holidays).
Please email AviationAccessibility@infrastructure.gov.au if you would like to share your views in other accessible formats or have any questions regarding this process.
Privacy Collection Notice
Aviation disability standards consultation paper
Your submission, including any personal information supplied, is being collected by the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development, Communications, Sport and the Arts ("the department") in accordance with the Privacy Act 1988.
Use
The Department and Aviation Accessibility Steering Committee may use your submission to inform consideration of issues relating to aviation accessibility and to ensure the aviation disability standards are fit for purpose and effectively address concerns raised throughout the aviation journey. High-level, deidentified, demographic information will be used to review the co-design process and assess whether the consultation paper, including its alternative formats, met user accessibility needs.
Disclosure
The department may disclose your submission and high-level demographic information to the Aviation Accessibility Steering Committee, which includes other government departments, People with Disability Australia, the Justice and Equity Centre and the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations. If you prefer your submission is not disclosed to the Aviation Accessibility Steering Committee you can notify the department as such at the time your submission is made.
The department may publish your submission as explained below. Otherwise, your submission will not be disclosed unless authorised or required by law.
The department may, at its discretion, choose not to publish some or all of a submission, including where it:
- fails to protect personal privacy and that of others by including personal information about yourself or others
- makes defamatory or libellous comments
- abuses, harasses or threatens others
- vilifies others, incites, induces or aids violence, discrimination, harassment, victimisation or hatred towards others
- uses obscene or offensive language
- infringes the intellectual property rights of others
- does not address issues relevant to the consultation
- promotes commercial interests
- does not otherwise adhere to the department's online publishing standards.
Contacting you
You are not required to provide your name or contact details when providing your submission. However, if you choose to do so, the department may use your contact information to make further contact with you about your submission and the consultation process. If you remain anonymous, the department will not contact you for further information.
Publication
Unless marked confidential (see below) submissions (including the author's name) may be published in part or full on the department's website or in any public response by the department. When publishing, the department will redact any personal contact details of the author.
Confidentiality
If you wish for your submission to remain confidential, it will not be published on this website and will only be shared with the department and Aviation Accessibility Steering Committee (including members from People with Disability Australia, the Justice and Equity Centre, the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations, and relevant government departments). If you do not want your submission shared with the Aviation Accessibility Steering Committee, please indicate this in your submission.
Confidential submissions will be disclosed in the following circumstances:
- to the Aviation Accessibility Steering Committee, which includes members from People with Disability Australia, the Justice and Equity Centre, the Australian Federation of Disability Organisations and other government departments;
- in response to a request by a Commonwealth Minister;
- where required by a House or a Committee of the Parliament of the Commonwealth of Australia;
- where necessary in the public interest; or
- where authorised or required by law.
Submissions will only be treated as confidential if they are expressly stated to be confidential. Automatically generated confidentiality statements or disclaimers appended to an email do not suffice for this purpose. If you wish you make a confidential submission, you must indicate this by ensuring your submission is clearly marked confidential. Even if a submission is not marked confidential, the department may choose not to publish it, or any part of it, in the department's discretion (for example where it includes personal information or opinions about a third party).
Access
The department will securely store your personal information and the department's privacy policy contains information regarding complaint handling processes and how to access and/or seek correction of personal information held by the department. Further information is available on our Privacy page.