50 PRM, CATERING & CLEANING NEWS A reminder to the PRM
Any passenger in the UK who faces difficulty travelling within an airport or on board an aircraft, whether through disability, injury, age or any other reason, is entitled to help from the airport or airline. The UK Civil Aviation Authority has reminded travellers of their rights and has been offering advice on what to do to improve their air travel experience. The message comes after the CAA took over responsibility for handling air travel complaints from disabled people and those with reduced mobility from the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Anyone who feels unhappy with the service they receive when travelling should first contact the airport or airline they used. However, if they do not receive a satisfactory response, the CAA is then prepared take up the case on their behalf. To ensure that the CAA delivers the best possible results for those that are not happy with the service they get from an airport or airline, it has set up the Disability Advisory Group, which is a forum where disability groups, consumer groups, Age UK, the Department for Transport and the CAA can share data on the issues of most concern. The rights of people with reduced mobility travelling by air apply across the EU and the CAA is responsible for enforcing them in the UK. Its efforts focus on making sure airports and airlines meet their passengers’ needs and as part of this, the regulator is stressing to passengers the importance of informing their airport and airline of their needs at least 48 hours before they are due to travel. This can help improve the level of support passengers receive by allowing enough time for suitable preparations and additional facilities to be made available.
French cuisine in the Seychelles
Servair, the French catering and air transport logistics company, has announced the inauguration of SkyChef Servair, its new, renovated catering centre in the Seychelles. SkyChef Servair recently began
renovation work to the building and a 600 square metre extension to the catering centre in order to better respond to growing client demand. Previously, the 190 Servair Seychelles employees produced 2,000 meals per day for the catering and corporate catering sections. These works will allow the centre to double its production capacities.
Staff skilled in PRM lore
Employees at Istanbul’s Ataturk airport have started getting training to learn sign language in order to assist hearing impaired passengers to benefit from all
GROUND HANDLING INTERNATIONAL APRIL 2013
services offered at the airport. The training provided by TAV Academy in collaboration with the Federation of Hearing Impaired will be expanded to cover all service areas. Initially some 250 employees will receive the training, keeping to the syllabus provided by the Federation. At the end of the project, all airport employees will have basic sign language training that will cover all areas of service, from security to ground handling.
Speaking at the ceremony, TAV Istanbul General Manager Kemal Unlu said: “With the work that has been carried out at Ataturk airport, the entrance gate to Turkey, we are ensuring that our disabled guests receive the same services, equally and at the highest standards, that are available to other visitors at all points. As TAV considers passenger satisfaction a top priority, we take on a leading rôle in this area in order to offer all services needed by our guests. We are happy to take another step towards eliminating obstacles at Ataturk airport through this collaboration we went into with the Federation of Hearing Impaired.” The President of the Federation of Hearing Impaired, Muammer Ay, added: “As a civil society organisation who conducts various activities to enable hearing impaired get involved in the society fully, we are happy to work in co-operation with TAV. We took another step in this respect with the sign language training programme at Ataturk airport.” According to data published by Turkish Statistical Institute, around 37 people in every 1,000 have some sort of hearing impairment. In August 2012, Ataturk airport gained an obstacle-free airport certificate from the General Directorate of Civil Aviation as a result of the extensive work carried out since 2009. The project was developed by TAV Istanbul, following national and international legislation and guidelines.
Senator and Business lounges at Frankfurt airport
The two Senator and Business lounges have been fitted out with a new design, which was developed in close co-operation with airline passengers. Following a tendering process in which international architects and designers were invited to take part, customer focus groups had an opportunity to appraise the various lounge concepts submitted. Customer evaluations had a decisive influence on the development of the new design. Amongst other things, the new Frankfurt lounges feature backlit walls with, for example, forest motifs, which generate a relaxing atmosphere. Selected materials, including leather and oak, enhance the welcoming atmosphere.
The Lufthansa lounge network is one of the largest worldwide: some 60 Lufthansa lounges and some 900 lounges operated by Star Alliance and co- operation partners are involved here.
Partnership signed for catering activity in Africa
In February, Royal Air Maroc and Servair signed a strategic partnership agreement to run its aircraft catering activity. Under the terms of this agreement, Servair acquired 40% of the capital of ACAS (Atlas Catering Airlines Services), which until now has been a 100% subsidiary of the national Moroccan airline. ACAS will henceforth be called Atlas Servair.
The formation of this partnership is part of Royal Air Maroc’s commitment with regard to the State in the programme contract signed between the two parties in September 2011. The national company’s restructuring plan provides for several actions, including its refocusing on air transport and outsourcing activities that are not at the heart of its core business. The agreement will also enable Royal Air Maroc to make use of its strategic partner’s expertise and worldwide network to reduce the cost and improve the quality of its catering services for the national company, as well as develop the activities of its subsidiary Atlas Servair.
Atlas Servair employs 750 people and owns three units based in Casablanca, Marrakech and Agadir, with a production capacity of 35,000 on-board meals per day for around 20 airlines, including Royal Air Maroc.
The agreement was signed following an invitation to tender last June by Royal Air Maroc to select an internationally- recognised strategic partner. In all, seven major players in the aircraft catering services sector responded to the invitation to tender.
Fantastic plastic from Axel
Bearing in mind the problems often experienced by the PRM who has to take a trip by air, anything that can make the entire transfer process as smooth as possible is to be applauded. France-based Axel Solutions has been supplying answers to the PRM’s needs for some time and its latest offering makes use of lightweight materials. More than that, the EasyRoller chair is actually made of thermoplastic and is devoid of any metal parts: as such it is a rigid structure and not foldable. In consequence it is extremely easy to manoeuvre but perhaps more important still, the absence of steel and other metals within its structure means that it can be wheeled straight through a scanner apparatus at an airport. The
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