OREANDA-NEWS. Careport is the friend and helper at Zurich Airport. Each day, the dedicated staff ensure that over 400 passengers with reduced mobility are able to travel safely.

Ms Muller is 75, has two sons and has difficulty walking. At home, she never leaves the house without her Zimmer frame. Today, however, she is catching a flight to Chicago at 12:50 - unaccompanied, and without her Zimmer frame - to visit her son who has emigrated there. With some trepidation, Ms Muller packed her case and arrived at Zurich Airport two hours before her departure. She alights rather awkwardly from her train and sets off to find Departures. Her son requested assistance for her when the booking was made and assured her that all she had to do was find the wheelchair sign. Feeling uncertain, she follows the stream of people and reaches the upper level. Well that was pretty straightforward. Stepping away from the flight of steps, she spies the logo and heaves a sigh of relief. She slowly makes her way to the waiting room displaying the logo. On the pillar-mounted telephone, she presses the blue button. A few seconds later, a friendly male voice greets her. Once they have agreed a pick-up time, Ms Muller can relax, because now she will be accompanied all the way to her seat on the plane and has nothing to worry about. An hour later, happy and full of anticipation, she is the first passenger to be seated on the plane - ready for take off!

Last year, Ms Muller and more than 100,000 passengers like her were reliant on help, and, like her, were accompanied all the way to their seats on the plane. Regardless of whether a passenger is reliant on a wheelchair, has a visual or hearing impediment or, because of his or her age, has difficulty getting around the airport - the assistance staff are there to help. Reduced mobility shouldn't be a reason not to travel. Everyone is entitled to a holiday and nobody should be denied this right: this is the motto at Zurich Airport. Passengers with reduced mobility are collected and accompanied to their seat on the plane, or taken from one seat to another in transit. Careport AG, the friend and helper, provides this service at Zurich Airport.

Doing good every day

In 2009, Careport AG was contracted by Zurich Airport to assist passengers with reduced mobility. This includes passengers in wheelchairs, passengers with hearing or visual impairment and elderly passengers. “Initially, the airlines were responsible for providing this service, but an EU Regulation transferred the responsibility to the airport operators”, explains Hanspeter Spanhauer, who placed the contract with Careport. Nowadays, every airport has to offer services for passengers with reduced mobility. The costs are covered by a “solidarity contribution” which is charged to all passengers.

Today, Careport provides an average of 40 assistants per shift on the airport's behalf, who help almost 400 passengers each day. The 190 employees in total, who work day in, day out, are dedicated and well-trained. They enable passengers with reduced mobility to safely reach their destinations. “It feels good being socially involved”, reckons one employee, adding that he goes to sleep every night knowing that he has helped others.

Mobility needs are increasing

2012 was a record year for Careport, with 118,000 passengers who required assistance - and the figures are continuing to rise. “The mobility needs of passengers with reduced mobility have increased”, explains Mr Spanhauer, citing specialist tour operators and globalisation as two contributory factors. “Nowadays, a lot of people are emigrating”. The Careport service at the airport makes it easy for passengers with reduced mobility, like Ms Muller, to visit their relatives abroad or travel to such far-flung places as the Galapagos Islands. “Zurich Airport supports all passengers who aren't letting their reduced mobility stop them travelling.”