Archived item: BBC’s Frank Gardner – Special Guest Speaker at EXPO’s 2nd CAA-supported airport disabilities conference

Special Guest Speaker Frank Gardner OBE, BBC Security Correspondent, journalist and author, will talk in a personal capacity about his “own experiences and conclusions about what needs to be done.”

In 2004, while reporting from Saudi Arabia, Frank Gardner was shot and seriously injured in an attack by al-Qaeda sympathisers, leaving him dependent on a wheelchair for life. However, Gardner continues to be a frequent flyer – “inspired to travel to remote places from an early age” – both as a BBC commentator reporting on the world’s headline trouble-spots, and also in a personal capacity, whether scuba diving with his family in the Indian Ocean, or as a renowned snow sports enthusiast and a patron of Disability Snowsports UK.

“Accessible Airport” – the 2nd Airport Accessibility Conference organised with the CAA

The second in this conference series comes at a crucial time following the launch of the UK Government’s new aviation strategy “Aviation 2050” which clearly sets out “the Government’s plans to make the transport system across all modes work better for disabled people.”

“Working with all air transport stakeholders to ensure everyone has fair access to air travel”

The second in this conference series comes at a crucial time following the launch of the UK Government’s new aviation strategy “Aviation 2050” which clearly sets out “the Government’s plans to make the transport system across all modes work better for disabled people.” A White Paper on the Aviation Strategy is due out shortly after this conference.

Attendance at this event is entirely free of charge and is open to all aviation stakeholders and interest groups. Speakers at the 1st Accessible Airport Conference at the Heathrow-hosted British-Irish Airports EXPO in June 2018 included:

• Richard Moriarty, Chief Executive, UK Civil Aviation Authority
  
• Rt Hon The Lord Blunkett, of Brightside and Hillsborough – Chair, easyJet Special Assistance Advisory Group (ESAAG)
  
• Ian Cairns, Customer Director, easyJet
  
• Jonathan Coen, Director of Customer Relations and Service, Heathrow Airport
  
• Graham Corfield, CEO Aviramp
  
• William Neece, Director of Airport Solutions, Ozion Airport Software
  
• John Cherrie, Director, Bartrams Associates
  
• Graham Race, Accessible Aviation Expert, Queen Elizabeth Foundation
  
• Liz Kavanagh, Customer Experience Manager, Dublin Airport
  
• Ian Sherriff, Chair of the Prime Minister’s National Air Transport Dementia Group
  
• Chris Woodroofe, Chief Operating Officer, Gatwick Airport
  
• Nikki Barton, Head of Terminals, Gatwick Airport
  
• Phil Holder, Head of Operations Support, Bristol Airport
  
• Niall Maloney, Operations Director, Shannon Airport
  
• David Feltham, Director of Passenger Experience, Edinburgh Airport
  
• Hazel Screech, Customer Experience Manager, AGS Airports, Southampton Airport
  
• Michelle Foster, Head of Operational Planning, Customer Service Team, Manchester Airport
  

Confirmed keynote: June 2019

You can view “The Civil Aviation Authority’s PRM and Airport Accessibility Conference” 2018 agenda here ».