By Lee Hyo-sik
Asiana Airlines has opened a lounge exclusively for the physically disabled at Incheon International Airport to better serve a growing number of disabled travelers. The company is the first airline to do so among domestic carriers.
During an opening ceremony for the “Hansarang” Lounge, Wednesday, Asiana Airlines CEO Yoon Young-doo said its disabled customers can now take plenty of rest in a comfortable setting before flights. Hansarang means “one love” in Korean.
At the ceremony, the firm also donated 10 wheelchairs to the Incheon Community Rehabilitation Center.
``Lounge users can also check in while in the Hansarang Lounge, which will make travel more convenient. We are happy that we will be able to upgrade our services for physically-challenged customers in wheelchairs,’’ Yoon said.
The CEO said the airline will make all-out efforts to differentiate customer services from those of other airlines in order to provide customers with the best-quality services.
In 2010, nearly 50,000 air travelers in wheelchairs either entered the country or went abroad through Incheon International Airport.
``The number of disabled passengers has been increasing at a double-digit rate over the past few years. We expect about 70 passengers to use the Hansarang Lounge each day,” Yoon said. “We will do everything we can to accommodate their needs and make them feel at home.’’
The lounge is located on the third floor of the airport, across from the Asiana counter K. Company employees will be stationed at the lounge, which operates from 6:30 a.m. to 11 p.m., to help those in wheelchairs take a break and complete boarding procedures.
In the lounge, customers will be served with beverages and simple snacks. They will also be able to watch movies, play games and surf the Internet.
``Before we designed and built the lounge, we had extensively consulted with representatives of physically-disabled groups about its layout. We reflected their recommendations in the building process. I am positive that our customers will face no difficulty in using the facility,’’ the CEO stressed.
Choi Kyung-ryeol, 47, a member of the Incheon Community Rehabilitation Center, said it is meaningful for Asiana to build a lounge exclusively for the disabled at Incheon airport. ``So far, toilets are the only facility for the handicapped in a wheelchair like me at airports. It is quite impressive for Asiana to set up a lounge for us,’’ he said.