Effortless experience extends to customers with extra needs at East Midlands Airport
East Midlands Airport is building on its growing reputation for providing a top-class service when it comes to accessibility and supporting customers who need extra help.
The airport’s popular Assisted Travel service now supports around 100,000 customers a year - a number growing by around 25% each year and exceeding the growth seen at many other UK airports.
It is one of only a few UK airports operating the service in-house, allowing it to maintain high service standards and make swift, informed improvements. It has embedded addressing accessibility needs in the way the airport operates, rather than being bolted on as an after-thought. Decisions are shaped by input from its Accessibility Advisory Group, a forum made up entirely of disabled airport users.
East Midlands is one of only two airports to have gained the highest UK Civil Aviation Authority rating of ‘Very Good’ for six years running recently. Over 99% of customers say their experience is 'good' or 'very good,' recognising not just customer service, but also the quality of the physical environment, communication tools, and staff friendliness.
The airport has recently built on its success by rolling out a range of improvements to address the needs of customers with mobility issues, non-visible disabilities and other extra requirements. These include:
· Introducing the first UK airport WhatsApp-based live chat system for Assisted Travel customers. This innovative tool enables customers to scan QR codes placed throughout the terminal and car parks to contact the Assisted Travel team directly
· Investing around £1.5 million in specialist vehicles, mobility aids and terminal accessibility features. This includes new electric ambulifts with improved boarding equipment, which take customers from terminal to aircraft, as well as self-propelled wheelchair options and electric mobility devices available for loan
· Installing improved signage, refurbishing accessible toilets, providing dedicated Quiet Rooms and developing new Changing Places facilities for departing and arriving customers
· Introducing stoma friendly toilets where shelves are provided for medical supplies while changing stoma bags. Extra bins, full length mirrors and clear signage are also provided
· Extending an enhanced accessibility training programme beyond the Assisted Travel team to include other airport staff such as Customer Service Ambassadors and Security Officers.
Further improvements are planned or underway, including the development with Transreport of a fully integrated digital platform where passengers can request assistance, get flight updates, locate support staff and provide feedback all in one place.
The airport’s approach has been shared with industry partners and regulators, earning it at seat at the DfT Aviation Accessibility Task & Finish Group, where representatives from East Midlands along with sister airports London Stansted and Manchester have been encouraging a higher standard of accessibility across the UK aviation sector.
The airport is in the running for the Outstanding Contribution to Accessible Travel and Accessible Travel Initiative categories of the new Travel for Every Body Awards.
East Midlands Airport’s Director of Customer Service and Planning, Mike Grimes, said: “Our goal is simple - an effortless, dignified journey for every passenger, every time. This is the approach that drives our Assisted Travel service, which is shaped by disabled airport users, appreciated by our customers and taken seriously by our dedicated staff.
“We know that some customers will travel further to use East Midlands instead of other airports because of the assurance they have of our high quality Assisted Travel service. We’re really proud of that and we continuously evaluate, listen and adapt to ensure that access remains a priority not just now, but for the future of travel.”