As the 2024 Paralympic Games close in Paris, it seems fitting that Australia's Melbourne Airport launches the nation's first dedicated service to assist passengers who need extra help navigating the airport. The airport has opened four Mobility Hubs at strategic locations, which will be staffed by Travellers Aid personnel. What is a Mobility Hub? Today, Melbourne Airport (MEL) has launched Airport Assist, a series of Mobility Hubs designed to help passengers with disabilities or access requirements transition smoothly through the airport process.
There are now four Mobility Hubs ready to assist travelers moving between the airport's car parks, check-in areas, baggage halls and passenger pick-up and drop-off zones. This new service at Melbourne Airport is the first of its kind in Australia and will address some of the challenges some travelers face as they navigate the airport precinct. There are existing airline services in place, and the Airport Assist program is designed to complement those, bringing more options at different locations to aid travelers.
Melbourne Airport is close to full recovery to pre-pandemic levels and is already planning a third runway to handle 76 million passengers in 2042. Melbourne Airport commissioned research to better understand the barriers experienced by travelers with disability and access requirements , and the new system is based on insights gleaned from that research. The research revealed that one in ten travelers needs some form of extra.