Lift-A-Loft announces newly redesigned APX20-DPL boarding bridge

Global lift specialist Lift-A-Loft has made improvements to its line of boarding bridges to better the experience of passengers with reduced mobility. Using customer feedback, the new unit has been redesigned to make it easier to operate and highly maneuvrable in busy areas around the airport. Interfacing with the aircraft is now easier and the fully enclosed upper cabin provides improved comfort for passengers, ensuring plenty of natural light thanks to multi-aspect windows and a translucent roof.

The newly redesigned APX20-DPL has an extended range of platform heights, from a minimum 4’9” to a maximum platform height of 21’5”, allowing a single unit to interface with regional jets all the way up to wide body aircraft. The bridge also comes with a recessed L-Track in the floor and walls to ensure wheelchairs are fully secure during transport. Additional extras for units can include air conditioning, an intercom system and fold down seats.

Special functions include adjustable front guardrails, a 24” extendable deck and front swivel bumper, which make the final aircraft interface safe and easy to accomplish. An auto-close, folding lift gate is also integrated into the apparatus, which can be easily raised or lowered by one person and can accommodate two stretchers or four wheelchairs at a time. All lift functions can be operated from either the driver’s cab or from the van body. From here, the operator can move and position the lift as necessary for maximum visibility.

Jet2 under investigation by US authorities

The US Department of Transportation is investigating low cost airline Jet2 in relation to its conditions of carriage for disabled passengers.

Jet2 is the only UK and EU registered carrier to enforce strict weight limits on the carriage of wheelchairs and mobility scooters. As a result of this policy, owners of electric wheelchairs (often weighing over 100 kilograms) are unable to take their mobility aids with them on Jet2 flights. To make matters worse, the weight cap imposed by the airline is half that imposed by other airlines, such as Norwegian or Ryanair, using the same Boeing 737 model of aircraft. In addition to the imposed weight limit, Jet2 also states on its website that disabled passengers who fail to pre-book assistance may be denied boarding or may be forced to pay to re-book on to a later flight.

Jet2 is soon to operate a number of flights to and from the United States, which will mean the airline will become subject to American disability law and the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA). In light of this, DOT is taking steps to ensure the airline complies with the newly applicable regulations. “DOT will contact the carrier to discuss the policies posted on its website that may not be in compliance with Part 382,” a DOT spokesperson has said, referring to the ACAA.

Breaching the ACAA can have serious consequences for the offending carrier and may result in penalties of up to US$27,500 per violation. In November 2013 The US Department of Transportation fined Virgin America US$150,000 for making safety videos that were inaccessible to deaf passengers, and US Airways US$1.2m for failing to provide adequate wheelchair assistance to disabled passengers in Philadelphia and Charlotte.

TCR signs contract with SAS

TCR International has announced the signing of a major contract through its subsidiary TCR Denmark with SAS for the purchase and leaseback of all vehicles, motorised and otherwise, at Copenhagen airport.

Now present in 19 Scandinavian airports, TCR is to become wholly responsible for SAS’s GSE fleet at Copenhagen and for providing ground services to the airline at this base. Through this agreement, TCR is consolidated as the main supplier of all GSE for SAS throughout most Scandinavian airports, reaffirming its leadership position in Europe. This contract marks the culmination of the group’s regional expansion plans, increasing the TCR activities in the region by more than 1,800 vehicles. As part of the deal, TCR will also build a brand new 4,000 square metre workshop at Copenhagen airport.

TCR’s first major contract in Scandinavia started in 2011 at Oslo airport with the sale and rent-back of Menzies’ entire GSE fleet, followed by the signing of contracts with Aviator in 2012 and with SAS in 2014. In February last, TCR launched its subsidiary TCR Sweden as part of a long-term agreement with SGH on three Swedish airports: Stockholm Arlanda, Göteborg Landvetter and Malmö.