Getting passengers with reduced mobility (PRM) safely on and off an aircraft should be straightforward, dignified and efficient. For a long time, ambulifts have been the default answer – but ask anyone working in airport ground operations and they’ll tell you the same thing: they’re slow, expensive, complex and they let passengers down.
PRM numbers are climbing every year. IATA estimates that people with disabilities represent around 15% of the global population and that figure is reflected in the demands being placed on airport ground operations worldwide. The industry needs a better answer, and boarding ramps are it.
One Aviramp boarding ramp can replace both the passenger steps and the ambulift. That’s one piece of equipment and one boarding process. It’s simpler to operate, less expensive to run and a genuinely better experience for the people who matter most.
If you’d like to learn more about PRM boarding ramps or arrange a demonstration, please call or complete the form below and a member of our team will get back to you.
(UK) +44 (0) 1952 291220
(US) +1 (678) 737-6181
Ask any frequent flyer who uses a wheelchair about boarding with an ambulift and the feedback tends to be the same. Separated from their travel companions, loaded last, lifted in an enclosed hydraulic cabin while the rest of the plane watches or waits. It works, technically. But it is not dignified and it is not inclusive.
Aviramp’s step-free boarding ramps change that. Wheelchair users and passengers with reduced mobility board at the same time as everyone else, using the same ramp, without being singled out or made to wait. That might sound like a small thing but for the passengers involved, it isn’t.
The ramp’s gentle gradient, combined with a patented non-slip surface and an optional covered, enclosed canopy, means boarding is safe and comfortable whatever the weather. No additional handling, no separate vehicle and no waiting for someone to bring an ambulift around from the other side of the apron. As regulators and airlines face growing scrutiny over how PRM passengers are treated, the case for a more inclusive approach has never been stronger.
The International is designed for wide-body aircraft operations, serving everything from the A320 up to the A380 lower deck.
The Continental is a fully motorised mobile boarding ramp suitable for a range of aircraft from A320 family down to EMB170.
The Regional mobile ramp is tailored for regional and small to medium aircraft, Suitable for a range of aircraft from B737 down to Embraer & CRJ fleets.
The Domestic model is designed to optimise ground handling operations for a range of small aircraft, including CRJ fleets, EMB145, ATR 72/42 & Q400.
The Lite is suitable for ultra narrow-body aircraft and turboprops, including EMB145, SAAB 340, ATR72/42 & Q400.
The ChairLifter transform the way airports and ground handling teams manage electric mobility aids. It eliminates manual lifting, reduces turnaround delays and protects valuable equipment.
Ambulift-based boarding is an exercise in coordination. You need the vehicle, the trained operator, the PRM team and then the handover to the aircraft crew – and every one of those steps is an opportunity for a delay. Aviramp removes the complexity entirely.
With an Aviramp in place, a wheelchair user boards the same way as every other passenger. Same ramp, same process, same timing. No specialist operators, no separate boarding window and no need to hold back the rest of the queue while another vehicle is manoeuvred into position.
Time on the apron is money. Every additional step in the boarding sequence – drive the ambulift over, position it, operate the lift, clear the vehicle, resume boarding – adds minutes that compound across a busy day of operations. When the ambulift is delayed, unavailable or out of service, those minutes become something more serious.
Aviramp takes those variables out of the equation. With one ramp serving all passengers, boarding starts, flows and finishes without interruption and PRM passengers are part of the process, not a separate process happening alongside it.
The turnaround benefits are tangible:
For short-haul and high-frequency operations, where every turnaround minute is critical, removing ambulift dependency from the process can make a meaningful difference to on-time performance.
The cost argument for Aviramp over ambulifts runs across the whole life of the equipment, not just the initial purchase price.
Upfront costs: Ambulifts are complex, specialised vehicles with significant capital acquisition costs. An Aviramp boarding ramp requires a considerably lower upfront investment and serves a far broader operational purpose.
Long-term costs: Because an Aviramp replaces both passenger stairs and the ambulift, airports are running a smaller, simpler fleet. Fewer vehicles to buy, store, charge and insure over time adds up to real savings across the asset lifecycle.
Maintenance: Ambulifts depend on hydraulic and electrical lifting systems that are expensive to service and prone to failure, particularly in older fleets. Aviramp’s ramps are built for reliability, with straightforward engineering, minimal moving parts and a 10-year structural warranty.
Staffing and training: Operating an ambulift requires specialist training, coordination across multiple teams and dedicated personnel. Aviramp boarding ramps do not require specialist operator licensing, which reduces training costs, simplifies scheduling and removes a layer of operational dependency.
For the vast majority of remote stand operations, the answer is no.
All Aviramp boarding ramps are designed to deliver full accessibility for PRM passengers, including wheelchair users, providing step-free access directly to the aircraft door. For the most common aircraft types – narrow-body jets including the Boeing 737 and the A320 family, as well as wide-body aircraft – an Aviramp removes the operational need for an ambulift entirely.
Aviramp’s International ramp serves the A380 lower deck but cannot access the upper deck so airports that regularly handle upper-deck A380 operations may still require a supplementary solution for that particular configuration.
For every other typical remote stand operation, an Aviramp is a complete ambulift replacement, simplifying ground operations, reducing equipment fleets and delivering lower long-term costs.
Here is how the two solutions compare across the operational factors that matter most.
| Aviramp | Ambulift | |
|---|---|---|
| Passenger scope | Serves all passengers – PRM and non-PRM – in a single boarding process | Used almost exclusively for PRM boarding |
| Asset utilisation | In continuous use throughout boarding and disembarkation | Long idle periods between uses; poor utilisation compared to multi-use GSE |
| Capital efficiency | One investment covers all passenger boarding needs | High capital cost for equipment that supports a small subset of passengers |
| Aviramp | Ambulift | |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical complexity | Straightforward engineering with minimal moving parts | Complex hydraulic and electrical lift systems |
| Reliability | High reliability; 10-year structural warranty | Prone to breakdowns, especially in older fleets |
| Maintenance cost | Lower ongoing maintenance requirements | Expensive to maintain and repair |
| When out of service | Easy to manage; operations not dependent on a single vehicle | Operationally disruptive when unavailable |
| Aviramp | Ambulift | |
|---|---|---|
| Operator requirements | No specialist licensing required | Requires specially trained operators |
| Process coordination | Single boarding process for all passengers | Additional coordination between PRM teams, flight ops and ramp staff |
| Labour overhead | Lower overall staffing costs | Higher labour costs; staffing gaps can cause delays at busy periods |
| Aviramp | Ambulift | |
|---|---|---|
| Inclusivity | PRM passengers board alongside everyone else, with full dignity | Passengers lifted in isolation, separated from fellow travellers |
| How it feels | Comfortable, covered, step-free access for all | Can feel clinical or stigmatising |
| Wait times | PRM passengers part of the normal boarding flow | Boarding and disembarkation often happens last, increasing wait and discomfort |
| Regulatory direction | Designed to meet and exceed evolving accessibility standards | Passenger dignity under increasing scrutiny from regulators, airlines and advocacy groups |
| Aviramp | Ambulift | |
|---|---|---|
| Boarding flow | Single, continuous flow for all passengers | Boarding pauses while the lift is positioned and operated; PRM boarding separated from main flow |
| Equipment delays | No separate vehicle required | Any ambulift delay affects the entire boarding sequence |
| Short-haul impact | Consistent performance across all operation types | Ambulift delays particularly damaging for short-haul, high-frequency operations |
| Aviramp | Ambulift | |
|---|---|---|
| Handling PRM growth | A single ramp serves a growing PRM population without additional vehicles | PRM numbers rising year on year; airports must expand ambulift fleets or risk service failures |
| Operational footprint | Compact; designed for efficient apron use | Storage, charging and maintenance footprint grows with fleet size |
| Cost as demand grows | Does not require proportional equipment increases | Costs scale linearly with passenger demand |
Aviramp is the global leader in passenger boarding ramps, with more than 950 units in service at airports around the world. That means our technology has been tested, refined and proven across a huge range of aircraft types, airport environments and ground handling operations.
Our patented ramp design delivers the gentle gradients and anti-slip surfaces that passengers rely on, whilst giving ground teams equipment that is fast to deploy, simple to operate and built to last. Unlike ambulifts – costly, complex and built to serve only a fraction of passengers – an Aviramp works for everyone.
Pair that with our ChairLifter EMA loader, and you have a complete PRM solution from a single supplier: step-free boarding at the aircraft door and safe, damage-free loading of electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters into the hold. One partner, one support relationship, one warranty structure.
Accessible, dignified boarding that delivers what passengers deserve and the operational perfoemance airports and airlines need.
If you’d like to learn more about our PRM boarding ramps or arrange a demo, please get in touch.
Call or complete the form below and a member of our team will get back to you.
(UK) +44 (0) 1952 291220
(US) +1 (678) 737-6181
Yes. Aviramp boarding ramps provide step-free access for PRM passengers, including wheelchair users, removing the need for separate ambulifts and passenger steps. This supports a more inclusive boarding experience while helping airports and ground handlers reduce equipment fleets, operational complexity and long-term costs.
Yes, the Aviramp International, Continental and Regional models can all be upgraded with the Stretcher Compatibility Unit, which enables them to load stretchers safely and efficiently.
This upgrade increases the width of the platforms, providing a larger turning circle for stretchers. To ensure the ramp remains within its operational footprint, the rear crew access steps are removed on these models.
An ambulift is a specialised airport ground support vehicle used to transfer passengers with reduced mobility between the apron and an aircraft door. It features an enclosed cabin on a hydraulic lifting platform that raises or lowers to match the aircraft doorway height, allowing passengers who cannot use stairs – including wheelchair users, stretcher passengers and those needing medical assistance – to board at ground level and be lifted to the door.
Ambulifts are most commonly used at remote stands where jet bridges are not available. They offer weather protection and can accommodate passengers with complex medical requirements, but they are slow to deploy, require trained operators and introduce dependency on a single piece of equipment that, when unavailable, can bring boarding to a halt.
A boarding ramp is a ground support equipment solution that provides step-free access between the apron and an aircraft door. Rather than lifting passengers, it uses a gentle slope to allow wheelchair users and all other passengers to board and disembark without stairs.
Aviramp boarding ramps are fitted with a patented non-slip surface, handrails and a fully enclosed canopy for all-weather use that can be positioned by a single operator. They are used at remote stands worldwide to support accessible boarding and help airports and airlines meet their accessibility obligations – without the operational complexity or cost of running a dedicated ambulift fleet.