Root Causes and Prevention of Mobility Device Damage During Air Travel: A Rapid Review

Abstract

Objective: The primary objective of this rapid review is to identify peer-reviewed academic literature that discusses the root causes of mobility device damage and loss during air travel, and to synthesize the operational strategies for preventing this damage.Introduction: Air travel provides essential access to education, healthcare, employment, and leisure. However, persons with disabilities remain vastly underrepresented among air travelers and overrepresented in aviation complaint statistics. A failure point in the accessible travel chain is the damage, loss, or delayed return of mobility devices. While general accessibility reviews categorize device damage as a physical barrier, few investigate the specific cargo-handling mechanisms, securement failures, and design limitations that cause these incidents.Inclusion Criteria: This review will include peer-reviewed literature focusing on travelers who use mobility devices. The primary concept is the damage, loss, or delayed return of these devices, alongside proposed preventive strategies or root-cause analyses. The context is restricted to commercial air travel operations, including ground handling, cargo stowage, and terminal transfers.Methods: This protocol strictly adheres to the Cochrane Rapid Review Methods Group recommendations. Searches will be executed in Medline, Scopus and Web of Science (Core Collection). Title and abstract screening, full-text reviews and data extraction will be managed in Nested Knowledge. To expedite the process, a primary reviewer will conduct screening and data extraction, with a secondary reviewer independently piloting tools, screening all excluded records, and verifying data and risk-of-bias assessments. Evidence will be synthesized narratively, prioritizing high-quality study designs to inform operational mitigation.