Larnaka’s award-winning accessibility approach

The ACI EUROPE Accessible Airport Award aims to honour the best airport in Europe in terms of its level of accessibility, as well as the range and quality of the assistance services offered. This year, the award went to Larnaka International Airport. Eleni Kaloyirou,  CEO Hermes Airports, spoke to Marta Dimitrova.

Hermes Airports, operator of Larnaka and Pafos airports, is dedicated to enhancing the travel experience of Passengers with Reduced Mobility (PRMs). Its efforts to provide an inclusive service were recognised at this year’s ACI EUROPE Best Airport Awards, where Larnaka received the Accessible Airport Award.

“Our airports are, indeed, fully flexible, providing a wide array of facilities and services,” says Eleni Kaloyirou, CEO Hermes Airports.

The judges considered that Larnaka Airport stands out for its accessible friendly initiatives, in terms of boarding equipment such as the ‘Eagle lift’ which facilitates the boarding of wheelchairs, and the level of accessibility with regards to check-in machines and e-Gates. They also noted that the airport offers interesting additional features, such as sockets for electric wheelchairs, free parking for 120 minutes, and cooperation with Senior Travel Groups that have expertise on PRM accessibility, as well as much improved accessibility features on the airport website.

In terms of check-in, Kaloyirou explains, all PRMs are treated with priority, while the airport’s electronic boarding card readers provide a fully accessible and wide-body entrance where passengers and their families can easily scan their boarding passes.

“We are also very proud to have a very dedicated and experienced Special Assistance Team, operated by S&L Airport Services, who provide PRM services to our airports,” Kaloyirou adds. “The S&L staff is trained annually by Hermes Airports on disability and equality awareness. All disabled persons and Persons with Reduced Mobility requesting assistance are escorted by a Special Assistance Agent with priority for all airport formalities, including check-in, boarding pass control (e-gates), immigration, security screening, shopping at our retail outlets, and boarding. We are very happy to receive a large number of letters on a monthly basis from travellers, all of whom are always praising the interest and care exhibited by our Special Assistance Teams, so we are definitely on the right track!”

Larnaka-Airport

Eleni Kaloyirou, CEO Hermes Airports, was presented with the ACI EUROPE Accessible Airport Award by Albert Prévos, member of the European Disability Forum Executive Committee and President of the French Council of Disabled People for European Affairs.

The company has previously cooperated with large Senior Travel Groups needing special assistance services and continues its efforts to do so. This year, the tour operator Senioren Reisen, which handles large numbers of Austrian pensioners and organises trips around the world, has chosen Cyprus for its programme. “In order to choose a location, the organisers need to be sure that the destination meets all the criteria and needs of the pensioners – a fact which proves that both Cyprus and its airports efficiently address these requirements,” says Kaloyirou.

Hermes Airports is currently in the process of adopting new initiatives, such as creating a special changing area at Larnaka Airport, which is a facility designed as a restroom equipped with a hoist and a changing bed to provide sanitary accommodation and changing/washing/toilet facilities for people with multiple and complex disabilities, who have one or two assistants.

Larnaka Airport achieved a 24.5% rise to 6.6 million passengers in 2016, and that impressive growth has continued into 2017 with a 22.7% increase in the first half of the year. Looking ahead, Hermes Airports’ vision is to become a leading airport operator, offering a unique sense of place and playing a central role in Cyprus’ economy, particularly in the tourist industry.

“At the same time, our main priority is to serve our customers in the best possible way, by operating innovative, safe and efficient airports in an environmentally friendly and socially responsible manner,” Kaloyirou concludes.


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