The report rates 14 airports as "good" and 11 as "very good", with Heathrow, Edinburgh and Prestwick "needing improvement". Nearly 2% of passengers – 5.5 million – requested assistance at UK airports last year.

The CAA said: “With more people travelling through our airports, and more of these people requesting assistance services than ever before, the latest report from the regulator shows that the majority of airports rated positively, but three airports need improvement.”

Aberdeen, Belfast International, Bournemouth, Exeter and Luton all improved on last year’s "good" rating, while Cardiff and Gatwick both improved “significantly” after being ranked as "needs improvement" last year.

Heathrow had generally good service levels at Terminals, 2, 4 and 5, but failed to assure the regulator data provided on waiting times at Terminal 3 was an accurate reflection of service, “meaning it is not clear waiting time standards were met at Terminal 3”.

The airport was praised for the introduction of separate security lanes for disabled and less mobile passengers. “This development represents a big step forward for London Heathrow and is expected to enhance the independence and overall travel experience of these passengers,” the CAA said.

However, the report said wayfinding and signage required improvement. “In some cases, signage contributed to unnecessarily long walking distances, and walking distances were not consistently communicated across terminal areas.”

Javier Echave, Heathrow’s chief operating officer, said: “This ’needs Improvement’ rating provided by the CAA focuses on the administration of data recording in Terminal 3, based on audits it conducted in late 2024, which we had addressed by the end of the reporting period. Apart from this specific matter, Heathrow has delivered demonstrable progress across all key service metrics.”

Edinburgh did not meet standards for provision of assistance “in a timely manner”, primarily due to operational issues caused by a change of contractor earlier in the year, which now appears to be resolved.

An Edinburgh airport spokesperson said the CAA acknowledged challenges faced following a change in service provider, with the report stating it was now routinely meeting a "very good" standard.

They added: "We have increased our investment in the service to more than £6 million and have worked closely with our provider to implement new and improved processes and oversight. These efforts have led to significant improvements, and our goal remains to return to and maintain a good or very good rating."

Prestwick failed to meet standards on consulting with disabled groups and individuals, although it has now committed to putting in place an access forum. An airport spokesperson said it was disappointed to have fallen after six consecutive top ratings.

"The downgrade related to engagement with specific accessibility and disability groups which we recognise is an important part of continuous improvement," they said. "We are actively working to address this and have already taken steps to strengthen these vital partnerships.”

AirportsUK policy director Christopher Snelling said: “We welcome this report as a way of helping focus and drive performance from our sector on this important issue.

“We are pleased to note 25 of the 28 UK airports assessed were good or very good, and that 82% of disabled passengers reported being satisfied with their most recent flight, roughly similar to that of passengers as a whole, and a notable improvement on the year before."