Overview

I embarked upon an Edinburgh Odyssey recently, for the purpose of gaining first-hand experience of travel networks within the city. I took a tram from Haymarket to the airport, a journey of less than 30 minutes, which proved an easy task for this manual wheelchair user. The airport is vast, though I found the Special Assistance area rather cramped. With a multitude of transport routes, it's exceptionally easy to get to, but how is it when you're there?

Transport & Parking

Just about every method of land-based transport will get you to Edinburgh Airport, with a dedicated tram route, a dedicated bus service, taxi drop-off, and a multi-storey car park. Getting to the airport under your own steam or someone else's is easy. Featuring 2,051 spaces, it's fair to say the car park is vast. Although I couldn't find an exact number, there are accessible parking spaces within the car park, with assistance buttons nearby. The airport provides free assistance services for those who require them, but there is no Blue Badge exemption for parking. However, Blue Badge holders are permitted one hour of free access to the car park, which is helpful for drop-offs and collections. There are many Blue Badge drop-off points on the ground floor of the car park, with ramped kerbs and tactile paving nearby. Trams run from Newhaven with 22 stops along the route. For those coming to the city via train, there are stops at Haymarket Railway Station, Edinburgh Gateway Railway Station, and St Andrew's Square (for Waverley Railway Station). Lothian Buses runs the Airlink 100 service, which goes between the airport and Waverley Bridge. This is a double-decker bus with a wheelchair space and a sizeable ramp.

Access

The access is great landside; I didn't go through to departures, so I can't comment on that. All nearby roads with crossings have tactile paving and lowered kerbs; many of them feature traffic lights with rotating cones on the underside of the control box. The pavements outside are mostly level, with sloped sections at the taxi drop-off area. All of the access routes to the terminal have... The signage throughout the airport is mostly black and yellow, strong contrasting colours, except for the overheads at check-in desks and airline-related signage. Induction loops operate at customer service and check-in desks and at additional points within the airport. Text payphones are available for use, as are payphones adapted for hearing aids. I didn't identify any braille signage, and I didn't use the lift to Departures, so I can't comment on this. The lifts are certainly large enough to accommodate several wheelchairs. There are accessible toilets in zones A and D, and a selection of cafés and shops for a bite on the go, or a moment's rest after a long journey to the airport. Plenty of seating is available throughout the airport. This airport also boasts a Changing Places toilet, though it's airside, near gate 16. I popped into the Special Assistance area, which is before Zone D, on your right as you exit the sheltered walkway from the tram stop. The room has automatic sliding doors but does not provide access to the main terminal. Either side is lined with chairs; all were taken when I arrived, and the large queue of people took up the centre of the room. I noted a dropped counter and signage on the walls that suggested an induction loop. The room has no windows and felt stuffy on the warm day I attended.

Toilets

I used the toilet at Zone A and Zone D, where you'll find the Ryanair and Jet2 check-in desks, respectively. In Zone A, the small toilet was on the back wall, behind the queuing barriers, but if you need to use it before queuing, you can go around the barriers. The toilet is small, with the toilet pan, which has a soft backrest, located on the wall as you enter. The flush is on the rear wall, and the red cord, which touched the floor on my visit, is on the left when seated. A left-side transfer is possible, but there is a baby change and a nappy bin close to the space. There are grab rails on either side of the toilet, and there's a low, small sink, which has a lever-style tap. There's also a mirror on the door, which features a grab rail and swings open both ways. The toilet in Zone D was a little awkward to get to due to some building work. It was located on the right side, but I had to make my way around the temporary wall. This toilet is larger than the one in Zone A, with plenty of room to turn a powerchair. The toilet is on the rear wall upon entering, which features the same contrasting wall as Zone A. A left-side transfer is possible, but there's a small bin in the transfer space; the baby change and nappy bin are on the right wall when you enter. The red cord is on the left when seated, but it was tied up—I fixed it, of course. This toilet does not have a soft backrest, and the flush is on the right of the toilet when seated. There are grab rails on either side of the toilet seat and the low, small sink. The sink has a lever-style tap and a soap dispenser on the wall above. This toilet also features a large mirror and a door with a grab rail, which opens inward.

Staff

he transport assistance team were great. They went out of their way to help me onto the airport bus for my return to the city and were very friendly. I didn't speak to anyone else within the airport itself, but this left a good impression.

Anything else you wish to tell us?

The airport is thoroughly modern, with a high degree of accessibility. I'm due to fly from Edinburgh in a few weeks, and this quick trip gave me some confidence. We'll see how things are airside soon.

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