Glasgow Airport in Scotland is trialling a new app that enables travelers with reduced mobility to get the help they need on arrival at the terminal.
According to the airport, around a quarter of requests for special assistance are made on the day of travel. The PRM Assist app will supplement the current service, which is usually prearranged by the passenger via their airline or booking agent.
The new service means that persons with reduced mobility (PRM) who have been unable to book assistance with their airline can do so using the new app. This will enable the airport’s service provider, OCS, to arrange assistance for them ahead of time.
As well as ensuring that all PRM passengers get the support they need when traveling, the app will help OCS plan staffing and equipment levels longer in advance and provide a wide range of analyses to continually improve the current service.
PRM Assist can also provide passengers with real-time flight information, and allow them to request specific special assistance and provide feedback.
Ronald Leitch, operations director at Glasgow Airport, said, “We are incredibly proud of the PRM service provided by both OCS and our own airport team. The way in which special assistance services are delivered is constantly evolving and improving, so we continually look at ways we can further develop our methods to ensure our PRM passengers enjoy a safe, dignified and enjoyable airport experience.
“Glasgow has one of the highest proportions of PRM passengers of any UK airport and I firmly believe this is due to the quality of the service and the significant investment we make each year. What is also vital to the success of our PRM service at Glasgow Airport is the dedication and hard work of those people who deliver for our passengers who need additional support each and every day.”
Last month, Glasgow Airport received the highest ‘Very Good’ rating from the UK Civil Aviation Authority’s (CAA) Interim Airport Accessibility Report. To achieve a ‘Very Good’ classification, airports must provide a consistent and high-quality assistance service during this period. Only six UK airports achieved ‘Very Good’ for all periods covered by this report.
More than 90,000 passengers who required additional support traveled through Glasgow Airport in 2022.
Derek Murphy, director of aviation services for OCS UK & Ireland, said, “It’s exciting to see innovation being designed with the PRM passengers in mind. OCS and our partners at Glasgow Airport are dedicated to continuously improving our PRM service provision and now we will see real benefits to both the passengers’ experience and the PRM operation through the implementation of PRM Assist.
“While still a relatively new platform, we can already see that PRM Assist is a big step forward for airport PRM infrastructure and how airports deliver PRM services for their passengers.”
Conor Halpin, director of business development at PRM Assist, added, “This initial step of implementing PRM Assist and its services at Glasgow highlights the airport’s ambition and vision to innovate and provide a more accessible journey for passengers with reduced mobility. We are excited to work with both OCS and the airport’s support team on this project and will continue to develop our products with the input of their teams.”
