Norwich Airport’s giant step towards step free aircraft access
Norwich Airport’s Giant Step towards Step Free Aircraft Access
Norwich International Airport has taken a giant step to becoming one of the first UK airports to implement Aviramp’s aircraft boarding ramps. These ramps are self-contained mobile passenger boarding system designed to provide access for all including passengers with reduced mobility.
The Aviramp, which was introduced in July, has already made a huge impact on the way the airport handles many passengers with reduced mobility and wheelchair users. In most cases these passengers can board aircraft under their own steam with the dignity that ramp access offers.
For all other travelling passengers, children and parents carrying children can board without needing to negotiate a steep staircase. Elderly passengers and nervous passengers do not face the daunting climb up steep stairs when beginning their journey, just a nice stroll up the ramp.
For the airline the Aviramp offers a new dimension of guaranteed on-time turnaround. The equipment removes any reliance on secondary high lift equipment for disabled passengers, as all passengers can board and disembark through one point of access. Aviramp brings all the benefits of a traditional style terminal connected jet-ways to the Airport’s stands, which in turn promotes satisfied passengers who do not experience delays.
Andrew Bell, CEO of Norwich International Airport said: “We are committed to making the airport experience an easier, speedier and less stressful one for all of our passengers and the arrival of the Aviramp system is another step towards improving their journey through the airport”
Aviramp is the world’s only provider of portable jet bridges designed to provide one point of access for all passengers including those with reduced mobility. The Shropshire based company designed a product line which allows passengers with reduced mobility to board and disembark an aircraft in a similar way in which abled passenger board when jet ways are not available. Managing Director, Graham Corfield devised the idea in 2009 and launched the product in 2010. Since then Aviramp has been brought by a number of airports all over the world; Japan, Kuwait, Italy, France and America.
Graham comments “It’s been a long hard slog to get Aviramp to what it is today, especially as I soon realised that it is more difficult to change the way an industry operates than I first thought. The ramps are now sold worldwide except for the UK and one of my personal milestones has been to bring Aviramp into the here. When management from Norwich first visited our plant they immediately saw the benefits that it could bring to the airport. Thanks to their vision of the future, that milestone is now achieved and I am sure that other airports will look at Norwich with envy and follow their lead – thanks very much Norwich “