Fáilte go Béal Feirste – Welcome to Belfast
4
4
Date of visit: September 2025
I am a disabled person. I have experience of challenges around: a hidden impairment, accessing toilets and moving around.
I use or have experience of: changing places toilet, disabled toilet, hidden impairment, powerchair, toilet with hoist, toilets, walking aid, wheelchair
Overall Rating
Good
I flew to Belfast International on a flight fromg Glasgow, where it felt we spent more time landing than flying. On the otherside of the water I found a modern and well equipped airport. With a regular accessible shuttle service to Belfast City, 30 minutes free parking for Blue Badge holders and a Changing Places toilet, this airport has a lot going for it.
Disabled Access In and Around
Good
Here is a cleaned up version with corrected spelling, grammar and clearer flow. I kept UK English, avoided Oxford commas and avoided em dashes. --- Signage throughout the airport is good and makes it easy to navigate the building on both arrival and return journeys, though the signage for the Changing Places toilet is lacking. The only clear indicator is a sticker on the door. I took the ramp from the bar and restaurant area in duty free, passed the WH Smith and followed the corridor until I found the toilet corridor. The first door on the right contains the Changing Places toilet. When I deplaned, I used the ambulift and was taken through to baggage reclaim. I did not have luggage as I was travelling light, but I nipped to the loo near the carousels. Exiting the airport was straightforward, with clear signage showing the way out. I exited through the automatic sliding doors and made my way to the bus stop just ahead. The return journey was a similar experience. I hopped on the bus from Grand Central Station to the airport, with the journey taking around forty minutes. The departure hall is to the right of the bus stop at the airport and offers a direct route to the check in desks on the right and the special assistance desk on the left. The assistance desk has a lowered counter and some seating, but I did not see any signage to indicate a hearing loop. The check in desks do not have a lowered section or a hearing loop, although a member of staff did come out from behind the desk to apply tags to my wheelchair. Exiting the departure hall, I took the lift which was well signposted. There are two lifts, both with plenty of space inside and braille markings on the buttons. The lift has an audible announcer but no hearing loop. I used the express security lane, following signs from the lift, and made it through security quickly. As I am a wheelchair user, I received a manual security check. The security staff were pleasant, asked permission before touching me and made sure I knew where to go. I placed my bag on the conveyor to be scanned. There was a moment of confusion when my Allen keys, used for my wheelchair, flagged up but once I explained their purpose everything was fine. After security, I made my way through duty free. I arrived through an area selling perfume and alcohol, but following the path took me past Shipyard Coffee Co, a small Rituals outlet and several small gift shops. A little further on is the bar and restaurant area. To catch my flight, I took the ramp past WH Smith and followed the path. As I was taking the ambulift, a member of staff led me along a few corridors with inclining and declining ramps, both of which can be quite steep. This route is rough going when pushing a manual wheelchair and some people may need a push. From there, it was out to the runway and on to the ambulift. Staff stayed with me throughout the journey and made sure I was safely seated. Great service!
Accessible facilities: Lift to all areas, Step-free entrance, Seating at regular intervals
Parking & Transport
Good
I travelled to this place by plane
I flew from Glasgow Airport on a flight that took less than an hour. I took the 300 shuttle bus to the Belfast City on my outbound journey and used the same service to return the airport. The bus stop is found close to the main entrance to the airport, and the route is well maintained and simply to navigate with a wheelchair or mobility aid. If you are getting dropped off at the airport, the Drop Off Zone is right at the front of the terminal. There are two accessible waiting areas, each with its own shelter and an Assistance Point. There is a minimum charge of £3 to use the Drop Off Zone. If you have a Blue Badge, it may be easier to use the Short Stay Car Park. You can get 30 minutes free parking, which makes drop offs and pick ups a bit less stressful.
Accessible facilities: Drop-off or pick up point, Dedicated on-site parking
Accessible Toilets
Average
I went to two accessible toilets and the Changing Places toilet during my two visits to the airport. I have detailed each below, but you will find more information on the Changing Places toilet in a second review. The rating considers all three toilets, not just the Changing Places toilet. Accessible toilet near baggage collection The first accessible toilet I used was located in the baggage collection area near the carousels. The signage was clear. The door does not require a RADAR key and opens outwards. The toilet pan is located on the rear wall. It does not have a contrasting seat, but the pan contrasts well against the dark grey wall. The transfer space was clear. There was a small bin to the side of it and a silver rail is installed to the left. The red cord was wrapped around the silver rail to the left of the toilet when seated, which also doubles as the left grabrail for the sink. The sink has rails on both sides, a deep basin and a long lever tap. To the right of the sink there is a Dyson Airblade hand dryer and a large mirror. The toilet is small. There is enough space for a powerchair, but very little room to turn. Accessible toilet in Departures This toilet looks quite different from the one in baggage reclaim. It is located to the right of the departure hall. The door does not require a RADAR key and opens outwards. Inside, the walls have brown wooden panels that look dated but contrast well against the white toilet pan and white grabrails. The red cord hangs to the left when seated, but it is far too short. The left-side transfer space, which is the only transfer space, has a large bin in the way, which makes it unusable. The sink is small and has a lever tap. There is only one grabrail installed to the left of the sink. The room is small. It is big enough for a powerchair user and a second person, but there is not enough space to turn. Changing Places toilet, airside near gate 18 The toilet has an adjustable changing bed anchored to the wall, with a shower to the left. The shower area has rubber matting for grip and the rest of the floor has white speckled tiles. The toilet pan is directly to the right of the changing bed and feels too close. I am not sure if the bed can be folded, but in the position it was in there was basically no transfer space. There are silver rails on both sides of the pan. There is no contrasting toilet seat, but the rails and pan stand out well against the brown wall. The red cord hangs to the left when seated. The ceiling track hoist reaches both the changing bed and the toilet. There is a large height adjustable sink with a deep basin, a lever tap and a grabrail on the left. A Dyson Airblade hand dryer is on the right. There is no colostomy shelf or use of alternative formats in any of the toilets, which is a shame.
Facilities: Changing Places toilet, Accessible toilet
Staff
Good
Assistance staff were very helpful and the staff at check in were just the same.
