AIRPORTS

The Lombardy Region has 4 accessible airports. Here are some suggestions as far as information and assistance services offered to disabled passengers are concerned.

Before getting to the airport

It is necessary that operators improve specific communications to disabled passengers. This can be done by displaying clearly on their website simple and exhaustive information and by printing leaflets that can be found in airports, tourist offices, and travel agencies. Only SEA, the company operating at Linate and Malpensa airports, has printed a dedicated leaflet, with basic information on how to use these airports. The text can be downloaded from SEA’s website. Also the airports of Bergamo and Montichiari (Brescia) should provide this information for disabled passengers. Particularly, it is advisable that airports should advertise more effectively the availability of an assistance service for disabled passengers.
There is a lack of clear and precise information on the accessibility of bus and trains connecting the airports to the surrounding area. Because of this lack of information, most of the times disabled passengers choose a private mean of transport such as a private car or a taxi to reach an airport.
In parking areas, close to reserved car parks for disabled people, there should be interphones to call the staff in order to use the assistance service granted by the airport to disabled passengers. This only exists at Linate and Malpensa airports.

At the airport

At the entrance of the airport there should be visible interphones at a height suitable also for people in a wheelchair in order to communicate with the airport assistance service for disabled passengers.

Direction signs inside airports are not enough clear and effective for passengers in general, and this particularly affects the independence and mobility of disabled passengers.
In order to allow physically disabled passengers to reach their seat, for boarding operations the staff uses a special wheelchair characterized by a very narrow seat. The use of such wheelchair is difficult for several disabled people. We suggest doing this transfer just before boarding operations and not starting from the check in, as it usually happens.