Handling Passengers with Reduced Mobility (PRMs)...

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Member for

18 years 6 months

Posts: 2,343

Hi all,

Although I do not actually help the passenger directly, I am often faced with the situation of having to handle Passengers with Reduced Mobility (PRMs).

Moving from their seat on the plane onto an aisle chair and again to get onto a proper wheelchair after they've disembarked, I know that it is sometimes quite a difficult and distressing experience for those travelling.

Well I happen to be looking at something online (completely unrelated to the topic I must admit!), and I came across this video that offers a possible solution.

http://vimeo.com/48791724

What an amazingly simple way of solving a lot of the problems that are experienced in this particular area, anyone else agree?

Original post

Member for

16 years

Posts: 1,059

It does seem an amazingly good idea, yes. I suppose the added benefit is that the seat can be used normally when not required for limited-mobility passengers.

I feel desperately sorry for limited-mobility passengers on aircraft. Negotiating airports and narrow cabins is difficult enough for me as a fit and able 47-year-old.

Member for

11 years 5 months

Posts: 11,141

I am sure there will be objections but it just seems to be one of those brilliantly simple solutions to a problem that should be implemented immediately. Is it under consideration by the industry, do we know?

Member for

18 years 6 months

Posts: 2,343

I know I shouldn't really promote things on here, however it was designed by a company called Priestmangoode, who posted the video on their own Vimeo channel about a year ago. They do a lot of work within the aviation industry, so you would think that they would actively market it to their clients?!

I am not aware of any major airline that has taken up the concept as yet, and whilst I think it would work well for almost any airline, I can see it working particularily well for low-cost carriers.

Member for

11 years 5 months

Posts: 11,141

so you would think that they would actively market it to their clients?!

I am not aware of any major airline that has taken up the concept as yet, and whilst I think it would work well for almost any airline, I can see it working particularily well for low-cost carriers.

Really surprising but as with everything I wonder if costs of manufacture, implementation and operation are higher than might be supposed. Ryanair would certainly charge you for the privilege!!

As a young, fit, strong, fast officer on B727s, I was confronted with a situation during our turnaround at FACT (Cape Town). There was an invalid passenger left on board after all the other passengers had disembarked, waiting for the Passenger Aid Unit (basically a lift to get the wheelchair down from the cabin to the ground) to arrive. After about 20 minutes the PAU still hadn't turned up and the cleaners and caterers couldn't start preparing the aircraft for the return leg until the last pax was off. So I suggested, since he wasn't a large person, that I could carry him down the aft airstair to his wheelchair. He accepted and off we went. On the last stair, must have had oil on it I slipped and fell forward to the ground, landing on my knees . I didn't drop the guy, but my right knee was cut pretty bad and my trouser legs torn (looked worse than what it was and I was still able to fly). I really felt :stupid: From then on I decided not to try be a good Samaritan ever again....

Member for

18 years 5 months

Posts: 992

Two issues, which I would imagine they would have looked in to: i) where does the life vest go for that seat? There doesn't look to be space to put it under the chair. And ii) would the use of this chair also mean that the person behind loses out on being able to extend their legs underneath the chair in front?