The Airchair is close to celebrating its 20th birthday and it seems a very long time ago since the first product was produced and we started to have conversations with airlines around what nowadays we would term ‘accessibility’.
Back in 2007 an accessibility conversation was viewed as being ultra-modern, and only those people at airlines who had a progressive mindset were even aware there might be a problem, let alone consider investing in a solution!
It’s pleasing to note that times have changed markedly, and I was amazed to see, at the recent AIX event in Hamburg, a wide array of solutions for accessibility issues ranging from seat controls to transcription of onboard announcements. As time has changed so has Airchair, with the original product evolving over time before the introduction of the all-new Airchair II in 2025 launched to assist airlines to comply with the forthcoming ACAA regulations.
The product is not the only thing to evolve, however. The way we talk about the product has now reached a new level of urgency. In the past we have focused on the practicality of the product for airlines, with it being lightweight and simple to deploy and stow. Plus, of course we have looked at it from the passengers’ point of view, emphasising its comfort and safety which assists passenger confidence.
Our new tagline: Airchair – Every Aircraft Needs One encapsulates where we think the topic of onboard wheelchairs is right now. We feel the topic is understood by every airline and there has never been more scrutiny from the public and the media on this subject.
We expect, the public expects, the media expects, the forthcoming ACAA legislation expects every passenger aircraft to have an onboard wheelchair, or an aisle chair (or however else we may refer to it) to be available and in good working order every single time, on every single journey with no excuses.
As tag lines go, we don’t think we are being too bold, as carrying an Airchair will solve the vast majority of potential issues faced by passengers with reduced mobility when onboard. This in turn will make their journey and the lives of the crew much easier resulting in smoother cabin logistics, customer loyalty and repeat business.
by Sarah McOnie, Airchair