Last summer, I received a concern that people with mobility difficulties - in particular those who use wheelchairs - could not take advantage of the Scotairways Dundee-London City flights. At the time, I raised the issue with the Economic Development Department of the City Council (the Council still operated the airport last Summer) and I paste part of the response below:"Dundee Airport terminal is fully suitable for handling disabled passengers in terms of wheelchair access and toilets, and we provide wheelchairs and staff assistance when necessary. For mobility-impaired walking passengers we will, if asked to do so, provide a wheelchair and staff assistance to convey that passenger through the terminal and to/from the aircraft steps. We do not levy, and never have levied, any charge for the handling of disabled passengers.
"If an airline operating at Dundee Airport accepts lift-on/lift-off wheelchair bound passengers, then we provide a manual lift-on/lift-off service using a special chair, subject to those passengers being of a reasonable size and weight for safe lifting, and the aircraft internal layout being suitable for safe lifting.
"VLM, as airline contractor for the Jersey holiday charter service does accept clients who require lift-on and lift-off, and they are in fact lifted on and off the aircraft by Dundee Airport staff.
"ScotAirways does not accept passengers on its Dundee - London service unless those passengers can at least (perhaps with some assistance) walk up and down the steps of the aircraft and through the cabin. The reason for that policy, as we understand it, - is that the Dornier 328 cabin, because of its size and associated air-stairs is not suitable for the safe handling of those disabled passengers who would need lifted on and off the aircraft.
"So, in summary, we are able to accommodate the vast majority of disabled passengers, and restrictions on the carrying of wholly non-ambulant passengers essentially relates to the size and conformation of the aircraft currently operating at Dundee Airport, and to the implications that this has for the health and safety of both the lifting staff and the disabled passengers."
"If an airline operating at Dundee Airport accepts lift-on/lift-off wheelchair bound passengers, then we provide a manual lift-on/lift-off service using a special chair, subject to those passengers being of a reasonable size and weight for safe lifting, and the aircraft internal layout being suitable for safe lifting.
"VLM, as airline contractor for the Jersey holiday charter service does accept clients who require lift-on and lift-off, and they are in fact lifted on and off the aircraft by Dundee Airport staff.
"ScotAirways does not accept passengers on its Dundee - London service unless those passengers can at least (perhaps with some assistance) walk up and down the steps of the aircraft and through the cabin. The reason for that policy, as we understand it, - is that the Dornier 328 cabin, because of its size and associated air-stairs is not suitable for the safe handling of those disabled passengers who would need lifted on and off the aircraft.
"So, in summary, we are able to accommodate the vast majority of disabled passengers, and restrictions on the carrying of wholly non-ambulant passengers essentially relates to the size and conformation of the aircraft currently operating at Dundee Airport, and to the implications that this has for the health and safety of both the lifting staff and the disabled passengers."
As residents are aware, the operator of Dundee Airport changed from the City Council to Highlands and Islands Airport Limited on 1st December 2007.
The issue of access for those in wheelchairs wanting to use the London City flights was raised last month at the Dundee Accessible Transport Action Group (DATAG) AGM - and I attended this in my capacity as Convener of Planning & Transport on the City Council. Given the change in airport operator and indeed the changes to the London City flight operation with the involvement of Air France/Cityjet, I promised to contact HIAL's Acting Airport Manager about the issue and he has replied as follows:
"Whilst the aircraft flies under a Cityjet flight code it is wet leased from Scotairways. They effectively provide Cityjet with the aircraft and crew under Scotairways operating conditions. This being the case the situation has not changed.
"I worked at London City Airport for ten years prior to coming here and the same applied there on Scotairways routes. It also applied on other airlines that used the Dornier 328 so it might be connected with the type of aircraft also."
I have therefore asked the airport for detail of the appropriate person at Scotairways to contact about this issue to see if there are any plans to improve the situation to allow people in wheelchairs to make use of the Dundee-London City flights.