The Malta International Airport will be introducing an enhanced service for people with reduced mobility (PRM) as from 1 July.
“This will ensure a seamless passage through the airport terminal to the aircraft and similarly on return,” said Malta International Airport CEO Julian Jaeger, who introduced the service to members of the media during a tour of the air terminal.
Such a service should be implemented in all European airports as from 26 July in line with a European Union regulation.
MIA has introduced a number of call points for assistance at the car park level, the check-in area and the arrivals halls in the Schengen and non-Schengen areas. Such call points are directly connected to MIA’s customer service centre. Priority seating is also available at the check-in area and at all departure gates.
Handling agents will meet PRMs at any designated call points and assist them through the airport and to the aircraft for departure as well as vice-versa on arrival. CCTV cameras are being installed at the call points in order to monitor activity.
MIA has invested around e40,000 to make the necessary set-up changes and e25,000 in special training and first aid certification for the staff of the handling companies.
MIA is anticipating that around 4,500 passengers will be using this service during the first six months of its operation – between July and December 2008.
Prior to 1 July, assistance to PRMs is provided by the MIA staff throughout the airport and the airline staff on boarding. Since the service was provided by different companies, loopholes occurred in the system at times. Ground handling service providers’ staff of Air Malta and GlobeGround were selected following an EU-wide call for tenders.
Besides stating that PRMs should have the same opportunities for air travel as other citizens, the EU regulation also states that such a service should be financed in such a way as to spread the burden fairly among all passengers using the airport. This is being implemented by means of a charge on each air carrier using the airport.
MIA is therefore applying a nominal tariff of e0.46 on all departing passengers to offset the additional costs associated with the provision of services to PRMs in order to reduce airline costs.
Besides the enhanced services, MIA will continue to offer facilities such as reserved parking spaces, designated lift and toilets and low-level telephone facilities.
Persons wishing to benefit from such a service should contact MIA on tel. 2369-6333 although the service will still be provided to unexpected air passengers.