Glasgow Airport receives top ranking in CAA's annual accessibility report
Image courtesy Glasgow Airport
Yesterday the CAA published its Airport Accessibility Report on the disability access of 26 of the UK’s largest airports by. The report covers the period from April 2022 to March 2023.
To achieve a 'Very Good' classification, airports must provide a consistent and high-quality assistance service throughout the four quarters of the year. AGS Group’s sister airport in Aberdeen also achieved a ‘Very Good’ rating in the annual audit, while Southampton scored two ‘Very Good’ and two ‘Good’ for the year.
More than 100,000 passengers who require additional help travel through Glasgow each year and the airport has one of the highest Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM) rates in the UK.
Ronald Leitch, Glasgow Airport’s Operations Director, said: “We are incredibly proud of our PRM service, so to receive the highest rating from our regulators is a clear endorsement of the hard work, dedication and care demonstrated by our people each and every day that ensures passengers who need additional assistance get the support they deserve.
“I believe that the high quality of service we provide, the over-and-above efforts made by those who provide it and the continual investment made in improving our facilities ensures passengers who do require extra help feel confident to fly and where possible they will choose to do so from our airport.”
Prior to the pandemic, PRM passenger numbers at Glasgow Airport increased year-on-year and this year the percentage of those travelling through the terminal who require additional help continues to rise.
Paul Scott, Terminal Compliance Manager at Glasgow Airport, said: “An incredible amount of time and effort is invested in making sure our service is one the airport and its passengers can be proud of, so credit must go to all staff involved in the customer journey including our specialist service providers OCS for their fantastic work.
“We also work with a number of disability organisations such as the Renfrewshire Access Panel and Alzheimer Scotland, who both sit on our access forum. Their support and input plays a crucial role in helping the airport to continually improve its special assistance service.”
Glasgow has invested significantly in its special assistance service and was one of the first Scottish airports to introduce a changing places facility at a cost of over £140,000.
Glasgow was the first airport in the UK to introduce the AvTech Connect GPS tracking system, which uses beacon technology to collect location data from 140 transmitters installed across the terminal to provide accurate, real-time insight to improve performance and deliver a superior customer experience.
Paul Smith, Joint-Interim Chief Executive at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “Today’s report shows the dedicated efforts of airports across the UK to ensure that all passengers receive the standard of service they deserve.
“With 18 airports consistently achieving good or very good ratings, and others demonstrating significant improvements, the industry is making strides in returning accessibility levels to those seen before the Covid-19 pandemic.
“It’s also important to acknowledge that there is still a way to go in providing a consistently good service for disabled and less mobile passengers across the industry, particularly for those with more complex needs, and throughout the busier summer months. The UK Civil Aviation Authority remains committed to working with airports, airlines, industry stakeholders, and advocacy groups to drive forward further improvements.”
