Dion Rademeyer NCPPDSA

Mike Toni DPSA

Ian van Rooyen SAA

Ray Denholm SAA

Sandra Larkins SAA

Herman Fleishman Equity Aviation

Nicola Colville SAX

Mathews Lehlongwane SAX

Yolindo Molloo CAA

Jacqui O’Sullivan SAA

Sarah Uys SAA

L Cele CAA

N Magoai CAA

T Tshabalala DPSA / IMDT

Jacqui O’Sullivan opened the meeting and all present introduced themselves

Jacqui stated the purpose of this meeting is to begin a forum involving airlines who would like to take part. The forum should be up and running by the 3^rd meeting. The purpose of this forum is for the Airlines to learn and resolve conflicts and the mishandling of Persons with Reduced Mobility and to keep up to date with issues

SAA will facilitate these meetings

The SAA Communication Department will slowly take a back seat but will be present at all meetings, as this will be an operations meeting

Ian van Rooyen presented to the forum the SAA Policies and Procedures for Unaccompanied Minors, Young Passengers and Persons with Reduced Mobility

Ari enquired to why are Sick and Disabled placed in the same category clarity was requested in terms of what Sick refers to, the application forms need to be separate for Sick and Disabled

The Policy also reads "Handicapped"

The wording in the policy needs to be changed

Ari agreed to change the wording and send to SAA for updates

The question was raised on whether the FREMEC card can be used on any airline? Response was no as they have their own

Comment was made by Tulani, that the FREMEC card is too big

There is no stipulation anywhere in the Policies and Procedures on the fact PAU passengers should do their booking correctly and arrive at the airport earlier

WHCR Passengers are not obliged to inform the airline on their mobility status

The question arose on how a person who is not a wheelchair passenger book i.e. epileptic, deaf. Passenger should let the airline know in order for the airline to ensure the correct equipment is available for the passenger

SAA need to put emergency processes together for incidents involving Passengers with Reduced Mobility onboard

Sometimes at JIA there is a dedicated counter for WHCR Passengers

SAA suggested a separate desk for WHCR passengers to check-in so they don’t need to queue and miss their flight waiting for the PAU, the offer was declined as they feel they do not want any additional attention drawn to them, however it was indicated that lower counters would be better

There is no stipulation anywhere in the Policies and Procedures on the fact, should a passenger require the assistance of a PAU they should indicate it in when making the booking and not on arrival at check-in

SAA response was that it would make it easier as the PAU can be booked before the passenger checks in and then it will not be necessary to arrive earlier at the airport

FREMEC has been updated, this needs to be communicated to the check-in agents

Ian will discuss the issues with the Team Leaders and find a solution to the checking in of WHCR passengers problems

It was suggested there be a link on the system with all the information from the FREMEC

Staff need better training on the handling of WHCR passengers. They need to have more precise questions i.e. Is this your own wheelchair?

The wheelchairs must be tagged

The issue was raised on the state of the Equity Aviation wheelchairs, many of them are broken or in very bad condition and passengers do not feel safe on the PAU’s

A suggestion was made that water be given to the passenger’s while on the PAU as sometimes they are in the PAU for long periods of time and it becomes very hot inside

Drivers drive too fast or break too hard

Most of the PAU equipment is in bad condition

Staff do not want to strap the passengers in as it is difficult with the damaged equipment

Equity commented, majority of the equipment is being replaced

Often WHCR passengers have to wait a long time to be taken off the plane, this is the result of not requesting a PAU when making the booking

It was queried as to why the air bridges cannot be used by WHCR passengers

SAA stated there is no rule that WHCR passenger may not use the air bridges, but one of the reasons for the PAU is the cleaning of the aircraft begins at the rear of the aircraft, so by the time the WHCR passengers are on the aircraft from the rear it is clean

The air bridge suggestion is to be tested, and reported back at the next meeting

It was queried according to CAA regulations how many people should be onboard when the WHCR passenger are waiting to be disembarked of the aircraft. It was stated there must be at least one safety officer is necessary

Often the Equity staff assisting in disembarkation of WHCR passengers are not trained

There is an issue with the seats in the aircraft, the crew don’t seem to be aware of which seats armrests are removable then the staff have to lift the passenger into the chairs as all SAA aircraft have seats with removable armrests

The crew and Equity do not communicate that a PAU will be needed on arrival

The back seat onboard is very inconvenient as it does not move backwards

The question was raised as to why WCHR cannot travel alone on SAX?

Was the disabled sector informed of this change in policy?

This was Sax’s’ change and not CAA

This new policy has been seen as discrimination

A meeting will be held with high level Management at SAX in order to discuss this issue, as this is not the forum to gain clarity on this issue

The next meeting will take place in one month time, date to be announced