Disability must not be barrier to air travel

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 18th Aug 2009

On Friday 14th August, Catherine met with representatives of the British Lung Foundation to discuss their campaign for greater access to supplementary oxygen for people with lung conditions.

Many airlines choose not to allow passengers to carry their own oxygen supplies on board the plane, but the alternative supply offered by the airline is too expensive for many sufferers to afford.

Catherine commented, "it is important that we work with the airlines to improve services for people with lung conditions. Sufferers are often not able to fly without their own supply of concentrated oxygen, but in many cases they are either not able to carry their own on board or are unable to afford the costs of the airline supplying the oxygen."

"If an airline prefers not to allow a passenger to carry their own supply of oxygen then it must provide an alternative that isn't completely unaffordable."

Dame Helena Shovelton, Chief Executive of the British Lung Foundation, said, "supplemental oxygen is as important to people with breathing problems as a wheelchair is to people who have difficulty walking. No airline would charge for a wheelchair. For a breathless person on oxygen, this is their wheelchair'."