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Activities, Adaptation & Aging
Dignified and Purposeful Living for Older Adults
ISSN: (Print) (Online) Journal homepage: www.tandfonline.com/journals/waaa20
Age-Friendly Airports: Exploring the Experiences of
Older Travelers
Joanna Glover, Noelle L. Fields, Kathy Lee, Ling Xu & Christine Wood
To cite this article: Joanna Glover, Noelle L. Fields, Kathy Lee, Ling Xu & Christine Wood (29
Feb 2024): Age-Friendly Airports: Exploring the Experiences of Older Travelers, Activities,
Adaptation & Aging, DOI: 10.1080/01924788.2024.2323315
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/01924788.2024.2323315
Published online: 29 Feb 2024.
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Age-Friendly Airports: Exploring the Experiences of Older
Travelers
Joanna Glover, Noelle L. Fields , Kathy Lee , Ling Xu, and Christine Wood
School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas, USA
ABSTRACT
The number of older airline travelers is projected to grow as the
population ages globally. However, studies suggest a lack of
age-friendliness at airports across the world. This study explored
the age-friendliness of airports through 16 qualitative interviews
with older adults aged 55 and older who had recently traveled
or planned to travel in a one-year time span. Using thematic
analysis, study ndings suggested that most participants felt
that the airport did not promote an environment accommodat-
ing to the needs of older adults. Three themes related to the
age-friendliness of airports included supporting mobility, air-
port security experiences, and the built environment. Study
ndings inform the continued examination and development
of age-friendly airport initiatives to promote autonomy, dignity,
and safety for all older airline travelers.
ARTICLE HISTORY
Received 21 March 2023
Accepted 19 February 2024
KEYWORDS
Age-friendly; airport; travel;
mobility; transportation
Introduction
Traveling is one of the activities that has received greater attention in the
literature related to active and healthy aging (Balderas-Cejudo & Leeson,
2017). Studies report several health and wellness benefits of traveling in later
life (Ferrer et al., 2015; Ferri et al., 2013; Global Coalition on Aging, 2018; U.S.
Travel Association, 2018). Travel and mobility are linked with productive
aging activities such as driving to visit friends and family and going out for
enjoyment (Cao & Vivoda, 2021). Mobility is also linked to feelings of inde-
pendence in later life and mobility limitations may negatively impact the
physical, social, and psychological aspects of functioning (Tang et al., 2021).
Research further suggests that maintaining mobility is fundamental to active
aging (Chua et al., 2023) as well as independent living in the community
(Schoupinsky et al., 2022).
Airline travel in later life is a largely unexplored area of mobility research.
However, as many individuals in later life are living longer and healthier lives,
there has been a rise in the number of airline trips taken by older adults
(Baldwin et al., 2019). Research reports that air travelers born before 1946
make up 21% of all leisure travelers and 14% of all business travelers (National
CONTACT Noelle L. Fields noellefields@uta.edu School of Social Work, University of Texas at Arlington, 501
W. Mitchell Street, Arlington, Texas 76010, USA
ACTIVITIES, ADAPTATION & AGING
https://doi.org/10.1080/01924788.2024.2323315
© 2024 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2014). The growth in
airline travelers in later life raises important questions about the age-
friendliness of this mode of transportation. The World Health Organization
(2019) suggests that transportation is central to healthy aging and that “all
transportation options should be safe and comfortable.” (p. 1)
Along with the age-friendly cities initiatives, many settings, including
hospitals (Chiou & Chen, 2009) and universities (Pstross et al., 2017) have
been studied. Airports and air travel are in the nascent stages of being
recognized as an aspect of age-friendly communities and cities by the World
Health Organization. Ireland is among of the first countries leading the effort
to creating age-friendly airports (Age friendly Ireland, 2022). A case study of
Shannon Airport and West Ireland Airport examined spatial configuration,
circulation, finishes, spatial safety, sensory elements, and amenities.
Researchers found that priority airport gate seating, improved signage, places
to rest, covered walkways, and wheelchair accessible toilets/changing spaces
were aspects of “geriatric friendly public spaces (Raphael & Thomas, 2023,
p. 1). Overall, there is limited extant research that examines the ways in which
airports can become more age-friendly in the U.S. and internationally (Fowler,
2017; World Health Organization, n.d.).
Although not designated as “age-friendly,” there are several supports for
travelers who need additional assistance at the airport in the U.S. For example,
as part of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), there are some
supports for airline passengers that may face challenges due to disabilities,
medical conditions, or other special circumstances. For example, the TSA
Cares program allows eligible individuals to contact TSA 72 hours before
traveling to obtain specific information regarding the security screening pro-
cess and to help qualified passengers through the security checkpoint
(Transportation Security Administration, n.d.). Some airports and airlines
also offer electric motorized carts for those who need them (Weed, 2019).
Changing built environments and architectural design in an airport is another
response by the airline industry to better accommodate older travelers (Weed,
2019). The airline industry works with an architecture firm to create an airport
environment that is comfortable for older adults and people with disabilities. For
example, Corgan Aviation, an architectural design firm, recommends that
restrooms are placed in areas away from high traffic areas to allow older adults
to get in and out easier (Bunch, 2016). Another design implemented by Corgan
is placing rest stops/seating in high traffic areas to allow older adults a chance to
rest before they continue walking to their airport destination. Corgan also takes
into to account the potential changes in vision in later life by choosing colors for
airport signs that are better for persons with visual impairments (Bunch, 2016).
However, there remain many aspects of the built environment of the airport
that older airline travelers may experience as challenging. One of these issues is
older adults becoming easily fatigued when walking around in an airport
2J. GLOVER ET AL.
(National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2014). Older
adults may also face difficulties with wayfinding, especially in larger airports.
While wheelchair services or other transportation services within the airport is
a step toward improving age-friendliness within the built environment, it has
been reported that users have felt awkward or degraded when they asked
a wheelchair assistant for help or were unable to locate a wheelchair assistant
for service (Guerreiro et al., 2019).
An identified gap in the research is that there are few studies on what
services or accommodations should be made available to improve the travel
experience from the perspective of older adults themselves. There is research
related to dementia-friendly airport environments finding that persons with
dementia and their travel companions were concerned about understanding
signs/announcements, getting lost or separated when locating restrooms or
quiet spaces, and they reported a lack of awareness about services to assist
travelers (Peterson et al., 2022). However, a broader examination of age-
friendly airports is largely absent from extant literature.
To extend this knowledge, our research team conducted a qualitative study
with older adults to explore older adults’ overall experience of the age-
friendliness of airports. This research provides an opportunity to better under-
stand what resources are needed in airports both nationally and internation-
ally to become more age-friendly for older travelers. The study is guided by the
overarching research question: What are the experiences of adults age 55 and
older related to the age-friendliness of airports?
Methods
This exploratory, qualitative study aimed to explore the the age-friendliness of
airports from the perspective of travelers aged 55 and older. Similar to other
age-friendly research capturing the experiences of individuals transitioning
from midlife to later life (Fields et al., 2018; Skerrett et al., 2022), the research
team included participants aged 55 and older for this study.
Recruitment and sampling
Approval by the University Institutional Review Board (IRB) was obtained
prior to participant recruitment (#2020–0781). Using a convenience sampling
method, a total of 17 participants were recruited for the study. However, one
participant dropped from the study due to personal reasons. A final sample of
16 older adults participated in the study (N = 16) which is an adequate sample
size for data saturation in qualitative research (Hennink & Kaiser, 2022). The
study was conducted during July 2020 when the spread of the Coronavirus
(COVID-19) was growing in the U.S. In order to protect the health of the
participants, all study procedures occurred online.
ACTIVITIES, ADAPTATION & AGING 3
A flyer was sent to potential participants through the research team’s network
of professionals in the field of aging (e.g. community partners, colleagues). There
was no prior relationship with any of the participants. As participants expressed
their interest in participating in this study via e-mail, the lead author (J.G.)
contacted potential participants over the phone to verify if they qualified for the
study. The lead author shared her professional credentials to each participant and
explained that the research was part of her graduate level studies. Inclusion criteria
included that participants: 1) were age 55 and older; 2) had traveled or are
planning on traveling by plane in a year time span; 3) had Internet for the
interview through Zoom; 4) did not have any cognitive limitation/s; and 5) had
English proficiency. Potential participants were cognitively screened using
Callahan’s six-item cognitive screener to determine the presence of any cognitive
limitations that would prevent participation (Callahan et al., 2002). Given that the
study was focused on exploring themes from the data, the research team did not
engage in theoretical sampling which is often used with grounded theory methods.
Data collection
All data were collected by the lead author, (J.G.), who was a female, masters
level graduate student in social work (J.G). The lead author had training in
gerontological social work qualitative methods and was directly supervised
by the second author (N.L) who was a female faculty member. The lead
author conducted semi-structured individual interviews through Zoom.
Participants had an option of accessing Zoom with a computer or phone.
Before the interview, participants were sent a QuestionPro link that
included the consent form and a demographic questionnaire. The consent
form explained that this study was about the age-friendliness of airports.
A semi-structured interview guide (see Table 1) was used to ask partici-
pants to discuss their perceptions of the age friendliness of airports along
with their experience in airports. Along with five major questions, probing
questions were also used to gather more specific details. The lead author
conducted all of the interviews and the audio recordings were profession-
ally transcribed. Participants were asked to find a quiet and private location
of their choosing for their interview with the lead researcher. At the end of
each interview, participants were reminded that the researcher would make
one follow up call for member checking.
Table 1. Semi-Structured Interview Guide.
●How often do you travel by plane?
●Describe the process you go through upon arriving at an airport. What are some particular places you like to
visit?
●Describe some problems you experience at the airport? What do you feel are some the airport could do to fix
these problems?
●What are some things an airport could add to improve the airport environment for you?
●Are you aware of any age-friendly services that you could choose to use to ease your travel experience? If so,
what are those services?
4J. GLOVER ET AL.
Data analysis
After the audio was professionally transcribed, data were analyzed using the
six-step thematic process outlined by Braun and Clarke (2012). This process
allowed the researchers to explore broader conceptual issues such as age-
friendliness (Braun & Clarke, 2012). First, the lead author reviewed transcripts
and recordings of the interviews to gain familiarity with the data. This
included going back and listening to recordings to ensure that the transcrip-
tion was accurate. Next, the lead author generated 351 codes followed by
categorizing the codes into nine themes. The initial themes were indepen-
dently reviewed by the second author. Then, the two researchers (J.G. and N.
F.) further defined themes, aligned them with the research questions, and
ensured that the themes corresponded with the thoughts of participants.
Finally, they met to discuss and reach consensus on the final three themes.
Two additional researchers with content expertise in gerontology and age-
friendly environments reviewed the final themes to ensure the trustworthiness
of the data.
To ensure trustworthiness and rigor, multiple strategies were used to
mitigate potential investigator bias including peer debriefing and memo-
ing. Additionally, member checking occurred individually for all partici-
pants (Creswell & Miller, 2000). Participants received a copy of their
transcripts, along with preliminary findings from the analysis.
Participants were asked to reach out to the primary researcher with any
comments about their interview and/or thoughts about the study findings.
There were no reported differences between the participants’ and
researchers’ conclusions.
Results
Among the 16 participants, the majority were white (87.50%) and female
(93.75%). Ages of the participants ranged from 59–79 years-old with a mean
of 71 (Standard Deviation, SD = 5.00). The majority of the participants
(68.75%) had at least a college degree. More than one third of the participants
were married/cohabitating (37.50%) or divorced (37.50%). More than half
(56.25%) reported that they lived alone. Also, 43.75% of the participants
took 3–5 domestic trips per year and 46.67% reported that they took one
international trip per year prior to the pandemic. Due to COVID-19 restric-
tions at the time of the study, there was only one participant who was still
actively traveling. See Table 2 for participant demographics.
Thematic analysis yielded three themes related to the participants’ experi-
ences with the age-friendliness of airports: supporting mobility, airport security
experiences, and the built environment.
ACTIVITIES, ADAPTATION & AGING 5
Supporting mobility
Many participants discussed ways to support older adults’ mobility, especially
those in wheelchair to promote an age-friendly environment. Some partici-
pants reported that the wheelchair assistance program was adequate. For
example, one participant spoke about a time she witnessed a man who needed
wheelchair services:
I saw a gentleman the other day when I was coming, that was in a wheelchair. He was
much older than me, which I don’t feel like I’m that old anymore, but he had to have
been in his eighties and he did have a wheelchair. They got him down, they did every-
thing they should have done and it was perfect. – P11, 68-year-old, female.
They addressed the importance of wheelchair assistance and improving the
unevenness of floors especially when older travelers have to walk long dis-
tances. One participant noted that her friend with limited mobility was left
alone, grouped with other travelers with wheelchairs for hours while waiting
on a flight:
Table 2. Demographic Information of the Participants (N =16).
Variables Mean (SD) Percentage (%) Range
Age 71.00(5.00) 59–79
Sex
Male 6.25
Female 93.75
Race
White 87.50
Hispanic, Other 6.25
Other 6.25
Education
High School degree/GED 6.25
Some college but no degree 18.75
Associates degree 6.25
Bachelor’s degree 43.75
Graduate degree 25
Marital Status
Never Married 12.50
Married/Cohabitating 37.50
Widowed 12.50
Divorced 37.50
Living Arrangement
Live Alone 56.25
Live with Spouse/Partner 37.50
Live with Children, Without Spouse/Partner 6.25
Frequency of Domestic Travel Annually
1–2 Times A Year 18.75
2–3 Times A Year 25.00
3–5 Times A Year 43.75
5+ Times A Year 12.50
Frequency of International Travel Annually
0 Times A Year 2.00
Once A Year 46.67
2–3 Times A Year 2.00
More than 3 Times a Year 13.34
6J. GLOVER ET AL.
They put all the wheelchair people together in an enclosed circle area and they can’t
leave. So she can’t like run around and shop and look at all the interesting stores. It
isolates some, you know, make some stand out. I think it’s stupid. So, I love Heathrow
because there’s so many restaurants and so many shops, but if you’re in a wheelchair or
on crutches, disabled of any type, you’re stuck with all the other people, you know what
I’m saying? It’s bad. - P7, 71-year-old, female.
Moreover, several participants explained how they struggled with walking long
distances at the airport:
I think it’s Charlotte. It’s just God awful. They don’t have carts and trains to lug people
from one place to another, you know, Atlanta in doubt, DFW, once you learn the train
system, you can get from any terminal to another super fast. And sometimes their rolling
walkways are not working. Gatwick in England is like that and Charlotte, you walk
forever to get from, even for me, it is difficult. - P7, 71-year-old female.
Another participant shared that even though she did not have any issues
walking long distances, she understood why others would find it challen-
ging to walk around at the airport: “The distance can be a problem, if you
have to walk slow but you are not allowed to have enough time because
flights might be leaving soon. That can be a big issue.” -P6 77-year-old,
female.
Participants who reported struggling with walking long distances shared
that they were open to services that can help them with their mobility,
particularly in large international airports:
Some of the international flights were really long distance to walk from when you’re
changing planes at the airport . . . it’s like a 15-minute or a 20-minute walk to these gates.
And most of the time I’ve had to walk it. . . I think it was in Amsterdam. I came down the
escalator and there was an employee there in a little electric cart. And she said, “Would
you like a ride to your gate?” So, which I, I really appreciated because it was a long way. -
P3, 75-year-old, female.
A few participants also noted challenges were related to the unevenness of the
floors. For example, one participant who shared her concerns about potential
falls at the airport:
It’s one of the problems with DFW and really, and truly it’s the only airport we’ve been in
that has that issue is that in a couple of the terminals, they have slight grading of the
walkway, and it goes downhill or uphill. And it’s like a little slope and you don’t find that
anywhere else. It should be a flat floor. -P5, 73-year-old, female.
Finally, several participants noted that some shops or restaurants were difficult
to navigate if they are using a wheelchair thereby potentially decreasing access
to certain amenities at the airport:
There are a lot of shops in airports. They frequently are not wide enough for anyone in
a chair or a with a walker. . . I have to look and see if I will fit. . .I just think that you’ve got
to look at mobility. -P5, 73-year-old, female.
ACTIVITIES, ADAPTATION & AGING 7
Airport security experiences
Many people shared negative experiences when going through airport
security. Concerns with TSA included standing in long lines and feeling
rushed by TSA agents or other travelers. Participants discussed difficul-
ties that they faced while standing in line to pass through TSA. One
participant noted how she purposefully chose TSA Pre-Check to avoid
standing for long periods due to her injury. “Standing in line at the
regular TSA line is a challenge for me. So that’s why I like pre-check for
the convenience.” -P1 70-year-old, female.
Several participants reported concerns about their treatment or the treat-
ment of older travelers by TSA agents. One participant shared:
It’s like they want to pick on the senior citizen. It’s like, everybody else is 45–50, they go
through fine and as soon as the senior shows up, TSA picks on you. I’ve seen it happen
more times, you know, it’s just like, well, they don’t know what they’re doing. Maybe
they don’t have to go on that flight. – P5, 73-year-old, female.
Some participants also noted that they have felt rushed by TSA agents or other
travelers. Another participant reported:
That’s a lot for a senior citizen you, because you’re being jostled and pushed by families
with children and businessmen are in a hurry with their briefcases and you’re struggling
and not able to balance well on one foot while you’re trying to take a shoe off. And people
are losing patience with you because you’re holding up the line. -P4, 69-year-old, female.
Some participants shared that TSA agents did not allow them to take their time
while in line. For example,
You come from international flights, and you have to go through, first you have to, you
know, get out of the plane and end up down in the past customs and that can take forever
to wander through there and they’re not really helpful. They are, most of them, they are
*clap clap clap* it’s just like that. -P12 68-year-old, female.
While there were more negative experiences shared among the partici-
pants, there seemed to be a few positive examples related to TSA
experiences:
I had a different pair of sandals on, and I go through the, just the walkthrough thing because
I have global entry and it, and it beeped and they said, my, I thought my buckles were plastic.
No, they’re metal . . . the TSA people rather than go get me a chair and make me sit in and
everything said, oh just walk over here through x-ray. – P7 71-year-old, female.
Built environments
Many participants addressed several overall challenges they experienced navi-
gating at the airports. Some expressed that they had difficulty understanding
the signage or where to go, particularly, in larger airports and international
8J. GLOVER ET AL.
airports. One participant shared her personal experience of trying to under-
stand the signage she had seen in airports. “Signage is confusing . . . it boggles
my mind, signage that is geared for technology is challenging.” -P15, 68-year-
old, female.
Other participants spoke about their difficulties understanding
announcements made by gate staff or by the airport. One participant
described how her mother almost missed her flight because she did not
hear the gate change.
And they made an announcement, but my mom’s hard of hearing. . .She almost missed
the flight. It just so happens some gate agents are sitting there and in court and, you
know, and she was, you know, so old, so elderly. And they asked her, and that’s when the
gate agent said, oh no, no, that’s been moved - P1 70-year-old female.
Several participants spoke about their difficulty locating appropriate
seating, particularly by the gates. One participant described that she
frequently had to sit on the floor because she could not always find
seating.
I don’t always find that there is enough seating at the waiting areas out at the gate side.
And I guess, you know, some people are young enough that they sit on the floor. I’ve
been known to do that. I can get down just fine. Getting up is not quite as easy. I think
I can do it, but the body says, no. So the seating, even if it were just a bench, not a real
chair, but a bench to sit on would be helpful. -P6 77-year-old, female.
However, some other participants shared positive experiences at the airports.
They felt that airports provided appropriate seating throughout the airport
and at the gates. One participant explained how she could always find seating
in pretty much any airport she went to.
There always seems to be plenty of seating around in the gates and all most places also
have special seating set aside for handicap. I mean, I don’t need that. I don’t use it, but
they do and a lot of places at the gates, they have seats that are specifically set aside for
handicap people. -P3 75-year-old, female.
Finally, a few participants noted that they had difficulty finding restrooms and
explained that the current number of restrooms was not enough. One parti-
cipant explained that she chose to walk further to find a restroom to avoid the
crowd with other travelers.
You get off of every flight and the very first bathroom, you know, there’s going to be
a line. Well, now I learned a long time ago. I just keep walking till I find the next
bathroom. But I don’t know if your app, if there was a way that you could literally set it
up so that you knew where there were stalls open instead of 30 women standing in for 12
stalls -P8 66-year old, female.
ACTIVITIES, ADAPTATION & AGING 9
Discussion
Transportation, including airline travel, is an emerging area of interest for age-
friendly communities and cities (Age friendly Ireland, 2022). Our study find-
ings highlight three themes about the age-friendliness of airports from the
experience of older adults in the U.S., suggesting three areas that can be
emphasized: supporting mobility, airport security experiences, and the built
environment. A summary of recommendations based on these themes is
found in Table 3.
Given that older adults are likely to become fatigued while walking long
distances (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, 2014),
it is important to consider the mobility needs of older airline travelers moving
through the airport. Our study findings are consistent with other research
suggesting that for older adults living with mobility issues, long distance
walking in the airport may be difficult (Lee et al., 2017). Similar to other
studies of airport experiences of persons with dementia (Peterson et al., 2022),
our participants suggested that there is a need for improved wheelchair
services for those with limited mobility.
Mixed experience related to airport security was reported among the parti-
cipants in our study. For many participants, interactions with TSA agents were
strained and unpleasant, related to feelings of being rushed or being dismissed
due to their age. However, some participants reported that TSA agents were
accommodating. These mixed experiences are similar to a study of persons
with dementia and their travel companions who reported that TSA agents “set
the tone for airport interactions” and that additional training was needed to
help promote a positive airport experience (Peterson et al., 2022, p. 6)
Currently, there are companies that are working to reduce the types of
problems identified by older travelers regarding the built environment of air-
ports. Previous literature suggests that adapting the built environment is what
airports need to reduce anxiety for older adults (National Academies of Sciences,
Engineering, and Medicine, 2014). One study suggested the use of a Wayfinding
Accessibility Audit Checklist National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and
Medicine (2017). This checklist was based on the results of the Airport
Cooperative Research Program (ACRP) 171, stating that the audit provides
instructions for airports to create “a signage and services gap analysis as well
Table 3. Summary of Recommendations.
Supporting mobility Airport security experiences The built environment
Improve wheelchair services Address long waiting lines Implement universal design
Offer additional electric carts Provide age-friendly training for
TSA
Audit and adjust airport signage
Clearly mark the grading in
the floor
Reward TSA staff that demonstrate
“age-friendliness”
Improve audio announcements for persons
with hearing impairment
Address mobility barriers in
the airport stores
Add seating in the terminals
10 J. GLOVER ET AL.
as a wayfinding plan; the aspects of visual, verbal, and virtual wayfinding
information to the passenger with directions; and methods that would allow
aging travelers and passengers with disabilities to comfortably utilize technology
for wayfinding” (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine,
2017, p. 6). Other research suggests that incorporation of the principles of
universal design including equitable use, flexibility in use, simple use, perceptible
information, tolerance for error, low physical effort for the traveler, and size and
space for interactions (National Acadmiec of Sciences and Engineer, Medicine
2017).
Implications
Involving older travelers in the design, implementation, and evaluation of age-
friendly airport initiatives is critical for creating environments that are both
accessible and inclusive. Several strategies for gathering input from older
travelers may include: 1) organizing planning meetings that include older
travelers, designers, and architects to develop age-friendly airport initiatives
together; 2) involving older travelers in age-friendly airport “audits” to gather
input about the accessibility and usability of the airport environment (e.g.
signage, TSA procedures, restrooms, terminal waiting areas); 3) engaging
older travelers in age-friendly airport testing and prototyping to ensure that
final designs are effective and acceptable to older adults; and 4) leveraging
mobile technology to capture real-time feedback from older travelers about
their airport experience.
Future research should examine how services and supports for travelers
with limited mobility can be improved. In Ireland, the age friendly airport
initiative recommends that airport staff receive training that emphasizes
customer service with persons with mobility limitations (Age Friendly
Ireland, 2022). Designing, implementing, and evaluating customer service
training to enhance mobility as part of age friendly airport programming
will be critical. Next, our study also points toward a need for increased training
for TSA agents. Future research should examine trainings and education
designed for TSA agents to promote a more positive experience for older
travelers. Finally, future research should examine mobility and the built
environment of the airport through interprofessional collaborations with
engineering, architecture, as well as social science (e.g. social work) to promote
not only the safety but also the dignity and independence of older travelers.
Limitations
The results of this study should be interpreted with caution. The majority of
participants in this study were white females, who were well-educated and well-
resourced. Future studies could include a more diverse sample, including
ACTIVITIES, ADAPTATION & AGING 11
persons from broader socio-economic backgrounds. Furthermore, future
research should explore possible gender, racial, educational, and socio-
economic differences in experiences of age-friendliness of airports and recom-
mendations on how to improve age-friendliness. Due to the COVID-19 pan-
demic, travel for older adults had significantly decreased at the time of the
interviews. Therefore, this may have resulted in some participants not qualifying
for the study since they did not travel or plan on traveling in the time frame
needed to participate in the study. Relating to this issue, future research could
include how services intended to improve age-friendliness have been affected by
COVID-19 and how possible policies have changed to promote social distancing
and overall health of older travelers. Finally, participation of this study required
older adults to have access to Zoom, either by phone or computer. Unfamiliarity
with Zoom or an inability to use the internet may have impacted their will-
ingness to participate.
Conclusion
This study provided unique insight into the experiences of the age-friendliness
of airports in the U.S. Findings suggest several areas of needed improvements
to promote age-friendly airports related to individuals living with mobility
limitations, airport security, and overall built environments of the airports. As
an airport is understudied setting for age-friendly movements, findings from
this study provides a foundation for future research related to age-friendliness
of airports. Through the analysis of older adults’ own experiences and per-
spectives of age-friendliness of airports, their desires for change are amplified
and should be taken into consideration for future age-friendly airport
initiatives.
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank UTA School of Social Work doctoral student, Swasati Handique, for
her assistance editing the final version of the manuscript.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.
IRB number (#2020–0781)
Funding
This work was supported in part by funding from the Roy E. Dulak Professorship in
Community Practice Research.
12 J. GLOVER ET AL.
ORCID
Noelle L. Fields http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0211-6037
Kathy Lee http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9603-1685
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