OmniServ, an airline and airport assistance services provider, is trialling the innovative wheelAIR cooling backrest cushion at Edinburgh Airport as part of its continued efforts to improve the experience for passengers requiring special assistance at UK airports.
For the trial, which launched on 5th June, wheelAIR teamed up with mobility retailer FastAid Products – part of the John Preston Group – who provided an active lightweight wheelchair to enable customers to try the wheelAIR cushions, giving OmniServ the opportunity to gain feedback from passengers.
Designed in 2015 by Corien Staels, wheelAIR was designed with the input of Paralympic athletes and wheelchair manufacturers. It uses inbuilt fan technology to cool the back and reduce the user’s core temperature by taking away excess heat and moisture, allowing for better temperature control.
The cushion also offers extra support through a blend of carefully selected foams, says the company.
Samantha Berry, Head of Innovation and Regulatory Compliance at OmniServ, said: “We are constantly looking at new innovations and technologies that enhance the end-to-end passenger experience.
“We are delighted to partner with wheelAIR to trial this solution to help passengers in wheelchairs travel much more comfortably, particularly as we enter the hottest summer months.”
The news follows a move earlier this year by OmniServ, which saw the introduction of another British invention, the ProMove Sling – an easily transportable, lightweight option for lifting and transferring passengers with reduced mobility when it is not possible to deploy a powered hoist.
Ross Gilpin, Accessibility & PRM Contracts Manager at Edinburgh Airport, commented: “The passenger experience is a crucial element of our business and we have invested and focused on our special assistance service provision over the last few years so we provide that positive experience for those passengers who require extra attention and care.
“The trial of wheelAIR is another example of the innovative approach we take as we seek to improve on what the Civil Aviation Authority already regard as a good standard of service.
“We want to improve further and will look at the feedback we receive from our passengers as it is important that they help to shape our service.”
The wheelAIR is the first product of the Scottish company, Staels Design, and was developed to solve the problem of overheating in a manual wheelchair. The company’s mission is to help improve wheelchair users’ lives by designing high-quality, stylish products.
Speaking on the launch of the trial at Edinburgh Airport, Corien Staels said: “Our mission is to help improve wheelchair users’ lives by designing stylish products of the highest quality.
“We are delighted to be working with OmniServ in helping people stay comfortable whilst at the airport. Like OmniServ, we are committed to providing a high-quality experience for our customers.”
OmniServ is the International Division of ABM Aviation, a company which provides a comprehensive range of dependable solutions to more than 100 airports globally.
In 2011, John Preston joined with Fast Aid Medical & Mobility to form a healthcare group. Fast Aid, formerly known as Anderson Medical, has been trading in Scotland for over 35 years and has a showroom in Edinburgh.
source : thiis is.co.uk