Accessibility
TAV Macedonia, as an airport operator of Skopje International Airport and Ohrid St. Paul the Apostle Airport, and as a company that takes care to provide a quality travel experience for its customers, is continuously dedicated to meeting the needs of people with disabilities and people with reduced mobility.
Accessibility is an important point of our daily operations to provide equal opportunities to all customers.
Therefore, passenger areas within the airport infrastructure, facilities, and services have been built and modified to be utilized by people of all abilities.
According to REGULATION (EC) No 1107/2006 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 5 July 2006 concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when traveling by air the Airport is responsible for assisting persons with disabilities (PWDs).
Persons with disabilities are considered persons who have long-term physical, mental, intellectual, or sensory impairments which, in interaction with various barriers, may impede their full and effective participation in society on an equal basis with others.
Services provided at Skopje International Airport for PWDs, and special needs are as follows:
• accessible car parking lots,
• communicate their arrival at an airport and their request for assistance at the designated points inside and outside the terminal building,
• an intercom for calling and announcing arrival at the very entrance for passengers with disabilities traveling alone,
• move from a designated point to the check-in counter,
• proceed from the check-in counter to the aircraft, with completion of immigration (passport control), customs, and security screening procedures,
• board the aircraft, with the provision of wheelchairs, Ambu-lift, or other assistance needed, as appropriate,
• disembark from the aircraft, with the provision of wheelchairs, Ambu-lift, or other assistance needed, as appropriate
• proceed from the aircraft to the baggage claim hall and retrieve baggage, with completion of immigration (passport control) and customs control procedures,
• proceed from the baggage claim hall to a designated point.
Facilities at the airport specially designed for the use of passengers with disabilities:
• accessible restrooms for passengers with disabilities,
• designated resting areas within the terminal for passengers with disabilities,
• elevators and escalators for the use of passengers with disabilities,
• specially trained personnel for assistance,
• designated drop-off/pick-up points at the terminal entrances for passengers with disabilities,
• passport control and security check areas designed for passengers with disabilities.
The special assistance will always be adjusted to your degree of mobility. At boarding time, PWDs will embark before the other passengers with assistance appropriate for their needs. Their mobility equipment will be placed in the baggage hold for the flight. If required by the disability and notified in advance, your certified guide/assistance dog may accompany you and must be leashed and muzzled. Finally, whether arriving at your destination or traveling through an airport, another person will meet you when your flight lands to guide you to the passengers’ exit.
To respond to the needs of passengers with disabilities and to provide the necessary assistance and support, TAV Macedonia has trained and qualified staff ready to welcome and provide services for persons with disabilities at Skopje International Airport and at Ohrid St. Paul the Apostle Airport.
Quality standards for (passenger) assistance
Passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility require assistance to reach the aircraft and board, to leave the aircraft and to reach the area in front of the airport entrance or arrive on their connecting flights.
Upon arriving at the airport information desk, assistance shall be provided to passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility, as follows:
If previously announced:
2.1. waiting times for departing PWD passengers
Waiting times for departing and registered PWD passengers who are on time at the "pick-up" point or check-in counter.
• For 80% of passengers, the waiting time for assistance must not exceed 10 minutes
• For 90% of passengers, the waiting time for assistance must not exceed 20 minutes
• 100% of passengers must be picked up within 30 minutes
Waiting times for departing and non-registered PWD passengers, at the "pick-up" point or check-in counter.
• For 80% of passengers, the waiting time for assistance must not exceed 25 minutes
• For 90% of passengers, the waiting time for assistance must not exceed 35 minutes
• 100% of passengers must be picked up within 45 minutes
Upon arrival and complete stop of the aircraft engines, passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility must be provided with assistance at the exit of the aircraft, as follows:
2.2 Waiting Times for Arriving PWD Passengers
Waiting times for arriving and registered PWD passengers at the gate or aircraft.
• For 80% of passengers, the waiting time for assistance must not exceed 5 minutes.
• 90% of passengers must wait no longer than 10 minutes for assistance.
• 100% of passengers must be picked up within 20 minutes
Waiting time for arriving and unannounced PWD passengers at the gate or aircraft.
• For 80% of passengers, the waiting time for assistance must not exceed 25 minutes
• For 90% of passengers, the waiting time for assistance must not exceed 35 minutes
• 100% of passengers must be picked up within 45 minutes.
When booking your flight, you should already indicate the degree of mobility. Internationally, there are seven classifications for self-assessment:
|
Degree of mobility |
Self-assessment |
|
WCHR |
Passenger can walk short distances and climb steps. He/she can move around the cabin independently and climb aircraft stairs on his/her own. Assistance to/from the aircraft is required. |
|
WCHS |
Passenger cannot ascend/descend the aircraft stairs, but can move independently in the cabin. |
|
WCHC |
Passenger is completely immobile and must be brought to or from the cabin seat. |
|
DEAF |
The passenger is completely immobilized and must be transported to or from the cabin seat. |
|
BLND |
Passenger with visual impairment. |
|
BLND/DEAF |
Passenger with visual and hearing impairment, who can move only with the help of an attendant. |
|
DPNA |
Passenger with intellectual or cognitive disability who requires special assistance. |
Passengers who need assistance should contact and notify their airline, travel agent, or tour operator with details of their assistance requirements at least 48 hours before the departure of their flight.
It is very important that passengers requiring mobility assistance ensure that they contact their airline, travel agent, or tour operator directly as their onward travel may be affected by the safety rules that air carrier applies to the carriage of persons with disabilities.
Moreover, persons with disabilities can, with ease, announce their arrival at the airport and request assistance at any of the 4 help points:
• Parking entrance – by calling via the intercom*
• Special Assistance Service – it is next to the Information Desk
• Information Desk
• Check-in counters
*Calling via intercom
TAV Macedonia introduced this service to improve accessibility and to provide help and assistance during travel to persons with disabilities who are traveling alone. To make it easier and simpler for passengers with disabilities traveling alone to get help and assistance service, TAV Macedonia installed an intercom for calling and announcing arrival at the very entrance of the parking lot. More precisely, the appropriately marked intercom is located on the entrance ramp to the main parking of Skopje International Airport. By calling via the intercom, where audio and video contact is made with an employee of the airport Special Assistance Service for passengers with disabilities when traveling by plane, a person with a disability who travels alone and who needs the service from the parking lot, will be able to announce their arrival at the airport, i.e., at the parking lot, and a Special Assistance Service employee will arrive at the parking lot intended for persons with disabilities, to welcome the passenger and meet and accompany him/her to the airport terminal building, where they will perform all the airport formalities and travel procedures.
To use this service, it is necessary for the person with a disability – the passenger to announce their arrival at the airport no later than 2 hours before the scheduled time of departure.