Manchester Airport and its service partner Outsourced Client Solutions (OCS) are set to conduct a month-long trial of a new hoist system designed to assist passengers with reduced mobility (PRMs) when boarding aircraft.
The trial of the Eagle 2 hoist device, created by Australian company Haycomp, will run from November 5, 2015, and will work in conjunction with mainline commercial jets and wide-body aircraft. The Eagle hoist provides a safe and efficient way of transferring PRMs from a wheelchair to their aircraft seat. The hoist also has the ability to extend in length to accommodate longer seat pitches in business and first class and can also lift passengers over fixed armrests.
Haycomp has been manufacturing patient lifting hoists for use in hospitals for more than 17 years and worked in partnership with Australian airline Qantas to develop the Eagle 2 hoist technology.
Collette Roche, director of security and customer services for Manchester Airport, said, “Everyone at Manchester Airport puts the customer at the center of everything they do, which is why we have decided to introduce this trial period to assess how effective the hoists are and how many passengers they can help assist.”
