15 December 2011
NGOs advocating the rights of the disabled are urging Air Asia to use the airport aerobridges that klia2 will provide for easier access to passengers.
We, members of the following NGOs representing groups of persons with disabilities, welcome the decision made by Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) to instal aerobridges at klia2 for all including people with reduced mobility, elderly, pregnant women and children. We thank MAHB for listening to and taking into consideration the voices of the people including us, persons with disabilities, in arriving at the decision.
We thank Dato Seri Kong Cho Ha, Minister of Transport, and the cabinet for their attention and intervention on this issue. We also thank the politicians who had spoken up in support of our calls for aerobridges to be installed at klia2.
We are deeply saddened and disappointed over AirAsia’s statement that it is not going to use the aerobridges at klia2 when completed. We urge AirAsia not to disregard the needs of its passengers especially persons with disabilities, people with reduced mobility, elderly, pregnant women and children.
Aerobridges are not only necessary but crucial to ease and facilitate our mobility and to enhance the safety, security and comfort of all passengers in all weather conditions. As full-paying consumers, we deserve to be accorded equal rights to enjoy basic public facilities and services that are convenient and safe for us to use.
We call on the government to ensure that all newly built airports be equipped with aerobridges so as to enhance and ensure the safety, security and convenience of all passengers including persons with disabilities, people with reduced mobility, elderly, pregnant women and children. We also urge the authorities to make it mandatory for all airlines including budget air carriers to use aerobridges at the airports where these facilities are available.
We hope the government of the day, which is elected by the people and for the people, will step in to protect the interests of the people especially the vulnerable and marginalised groups, at all times!
This statement is jointly issued by:
- Barrier-free Environment and Accessible Transport (Beat)
- Persatuan DAMAI Orang-Orang Kurang Upaya Selangor & Wilayah Persekutuan
- United Voice (Self Advocacy Society of Persons with Learning Disabilities Selangor & Kuala Lumpur)
- Persatuan Mobiliti Kuala Lumpur & Selangor
- Malaysian Association of The Blind
- Pusat Maju Diri Y For The Deaf (YMCA)
- Persatuan Kristian Shuang Fu untuk Orang Kurang Upaya
- Challenges Magazine
Source: www.aliran.com
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