This session will review the ongoing evolution of the regulatory and policy framework on accessibility.
Participants will explore how States are increasingly aligning accessibility obligations with broader facilitation and consumer-protection responsibilities, including national legislation in line with ICAO Standards and relevant Convention obligations, and oversight expectations. Regional authorities and industry stakeholders will share updates on how inclusiveness for persons with disabilities and reduced mobility have become a central component of their aviation policy agendas. This discussion will help illuminate how regulatory momentum is converging toward more harmonized global expectations for accessible air transport, while recognizing the need for practical regulatory principles and implementation approaches that can be applied across different national, regional, and operational contexts.

Moderator: Linda Ristagno, Assistant Director, Customer Experience and Facilitation, IATA

• Laura Pierallini, Professor, McGill and Luiss University Partner Pierallini Studio
• Sonia Gangopadhyay, Director, Centre of Expertise for Accessible Transportation, Canadian Transportation Agency
• Blane A. Workie, Assistant General Counsel, Office of Aviation Consumer Protection, United States Department of Transportation
• Yuri Cesar Cherman, Manager of the Branch of Consumer Affairs, Agência Nacional de Aviação Civil (ANAC), Brazil