Malta International Airport plc will be introducing an enhanced service for disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility (PRMs) which will ensure a seamless passage through the airport terminal to the aircraft and similarly on return, as detailed by the EU Regulation (EC) 1107/2006 of the European Parliament and the European Council which comes into effect on the 26th July 2008.

To this end MIA has introduced a number of call points for assistance to PRMs at the Car Park level, at the Check-In Area, as well as at the Arrivals Halls in the Schengen and Non-Schengen areas. Priority seating is also available in the Check-In Area and at all the Departures Gates. The call points are connected directly to MIA’s Customer Service Centre.

MIA is anticipating that some 4500 passengers will be using this service during the first six months of its operation, that is between July and December 2008. In addition, persons wishing to avail themselves of this service should contact MIA on telephone number 23696333.

For the record, Regulation (EC) 1107/2006 states that “disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility, whether caused by disability, age or any other factor, should have opportunities for air travel comparable to those of other citizens.” It further emphasises that PRMs “should therefore be accepted for carriage and not refused transport on the grounds of their disability or lack of mobility”. The regulation also stipulates that this service should be financed in such a way as to spread the burden equitably among all passengers using an airport and to avoid disincentives to the carriage of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility by means of a charge levied on each air carrier using the airport”.

In accordance with the above-mentioned PRM regulation, MIA shall be applying a nominal €0.46 tariff on all departing passengers to offset the additional costs associated with the provision of services to PRMs. This would spread the expense thus reducing costs for the airlines that previously incurred the entire charge.

Julian Jaeger, CEO of MIA introduced the services to the media during a virtual PRM-assisted tour of the air terminal. Mr Jaeger said that MIA has always provided dedicated services to persons with mobility problems, which also include other faciltieis such as reserved carpark spaces, designated lifts and toilets as well as the installation of low-level telephone facilities. “The enhanced services will be adopted throughout all airports in EU countries and certainly falls in line with our commitment to ensure a positive customer experience at the air terminal” Julian Jaeger said.