Service for disabled passengers at airport

Like Tonio Mercieca (Fee For Improved Mobility At Airport Is Unacceptable, June 25), I too need help at airports due to my reduced mobility and up until the last two years I have always found the service at Luqa airport to be the best of any airport from which I have travelled.

Sadly, this is no longer the case. Upon arrival last year, we were "dumped" after the handlers had taken us off the ambulift and put us inside the terminal building.

They told us everyone was busy. How was my husband (who has his own poor health concerns) supposed to push my wheelchair, our friend's chair and carry two pieces of hand luggage?

When we departed after our holiday, the staff on the help desk told my husband that we had to queue (I cannot stand for longer than a couple of minutes) to check in and make our own way to the departure lounge where we would be helped on to the plane."

"Help" desk? It was only when my husband complained at their attitude that another member of staff came out and resolved the problem by supplying a wheelchair immediately.

Upon arrival in Malta in May of this year, there were nine passengers on our flight with disabilities who had all pre-booked wheelchairs.

Only one wheelchair was available so eight of us had to struggle to walk to the terminal which caused us all considerable distress and discomfort. After check-in on departure, we had to wait well over an hour before a wheelchair became available. We were told that there was a shortage of such chairs. With regard to paying a fee for this service, perhaps MIA would like to check the EU rules and regulations concerning carrying disabled passengers. They will find the following:

"On July 26, 2008 EU Regulation 1107/2006 comes into force. This will grant a number of extra rights to passengers of reduced mobility (PRM) and impose new responsibilities on airport managers.

"Airlines and travel companies are already subject to important requirements under the regulation.

"From July, all European airports with traffic of more than 150,000 passengers a year will be required to assist free of charge, PRM (a category including many elderly people as well as the disabled) all the way from arrival at the terminal to emplaning and vice versa at the destination.

"Airport personnel will have to be properly trained in disability awareness and handling.

"EU officials noted at a meeting in January 2008 in Brussels under Article 8 of the regulation that airports will be responsible for providing assistance to PRM outside the aircraft and that this responsibility would remain with the managing body of the airport 'even if the assistance is subcontracted to third parties'."

We are returning to Malta in October and we expect to find a considerable improvement in the service available for disabled passengers. I wonder whether we will.