Air Seychelles Chief Executive Officer, Sandy Benoiton and the Seychelles Civil Aviation Authority (SCAA) Chief Executive Officer, Garry Albert took up the National Wheelchair Challenge at the Seychelles International Airport this Monday.
The challenge, known locally as the ‘Ramp up, Rise up’ campaign, was introduced by Mrs Christine Winslow, to highlight the lack of accessibility for those with mobility issues and to encourage stakeholders within the public and private sectors to improve on the services offered to facilitate this. This campaign is being rolled out across the islands in collaboration with the Ministry of Family, Youth and Sports through their Elderly and Disabled Persons Division.
Air Seychelles ‘s CEOs started their wheelchair journey from the guest drop off area at the airport, with Air Seychelles ground staff standing by to offer any assistance needed. From there, they made their way to the check in counters where a simulated check-in took place, through to immigration and security screening, followed by a visit to the airport’s facilities such as the CIP Lounge, toilets and seating areas to test accessibility and comfort.
To offer an all-round first-hand experience, the visit was extended to one of the national airline’s aircraft where the CEOs boarded via the Ambulance Lift, which is available upon demand for disabled guests.
Sandy Benoiton “As a small airline, I am proud to say that the service we offer to our disabled passengers are on par with what is to be expected in ensuring a comfortable and smooth flight. Our ground service agents and cabin crew are trained in handling and understanding our special guests, and our Ambulift provides a comfortable and dignified boarding and disembarkation process.
Participating in the challenge has been eye opening and we have identified some issues that we will be working on to better our service offering.’
Garry Albert, CEO SCAA ‘’ The challenge came at an opportune time as we are working on various projects aimed at enhancing customer service standards, with a special focus on accessibility and inclusivity. We aim to offer all our guests a unique stress-free experience at our airports, through the provision of conducive facilities and services. We are very satisfied with the outcome of this activity as it has revealed the many positive strides we have made, but also highlighted areas where we need to make further improvements. SCAA is committed in its endeavor to provide an elevated experience to all, without exception.’’
The challenge concluded with the disembarkation process and accessing the arrivals lounge.
