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Posted June 9th, 2008 in airlines, general news and helpful information

The FINANCIAL — Over the past few years, Air France has been making every effort to make travel for disabled and reduced mobility

passengers as easy and simple as possible.

Air France Logo

In 2001, a specific assistance service called SAPHIR* was launched, the only service of its kind in the world, which gave a new dimension to our relations with our customers and greatly contributed to alleviating stress linked to organizing air travel for these passengers. The progress made, in conjunction with associations, doctors and Air France staff has been considerable, and is constantly being improved.

“The past fourteen months have undoubtedly been the most intense in terms of development, both with regard to extending access to existing services internationally and implementing new services both on the ground and on board aircraft”, declared Patrick Roux, VP Marketing Air France.

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Posted May 22nd, 2008 in airlines, general news and helpful information

This comes from the Jane’s Airport Group Website and written by By Alan Osborn and Ben Vogel:

A new era in the treatment of disabled travellers at European airports will begin on 26 July 2008, when EU Regulation 1107/2006 comes into force. This will grant a number of extra rights to passengers of reduced mobility (PRM) and impose new responsibilities on airport managers.

Airlines and travel companies are already subject to important requirements under the regulation - since July 2007, for instance, it has been illegal to refuse bookings from disabled passengers. From this July, however, Europe’s airports will be legally obliged to undertake duties that either did not exist at all in the past or that were previously handled by airlines and others. Thus all European airports with traffic of more than 150,000 passengers a year will be required to assist, free of charge, PRM (a category including many elderly people as well as the disabled) all the way from arrival at the terminal to emplaning and vice versa at the destination.

Airport personnel will have to be properly trained in disability awareness and handling. This could be a major task: according to the European Commission (EC), around 10 per cent of the EU population has reduced mobility. [more]

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Posted May 13th, 2008 in airlines, general news and helpful information

This article is from the Canadian Press that you can view here

air_canada.jpgOTTAWA — An appeal of ruling in favour of severely disabled Canadian passengers requiring an additional seat on airlines because they need medical assistance or are obese will not be heard by the Federal Court of Appeal.

The court turned down a request by Air Canada and West Jet to hear an appeal of a Canadian Transportation Agency ruling in January that requires them to offer a free seat to obese passengers who need one, or an attendant accompanying a disabled passenger.

The ruling leaves the airlines 12 months to draft regulations on accommodating qualified disabled passengers.

“We’re thrilled,” said Laurie Beachell, national co-ordinator of the Council of Canadians with Disabilities. “I think this may be a first for air travel.” [more]

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