Aviramp is a supplier of a particularly distinctive type of aircraft access system. The Telford, UK-based company offers a range of mobile, walk-through boarding bridges for narrowbody and widebody aircraft
The mobile ramps for which Aviramp is perhaps best known are also used as static jet bridges as an alternative to costly fixed infrastructure.
Static Aviramps are in place at various airports now including San Francisco, Chicago, Boston (in the US) and Birmingham (in the UK). San Francisco, for example, operates three Aviramps statically as jet bridges and they will have 12 in total by the end of this year.
Terri Smart-Jewkes, global sales and marketing director at Aviramp, tells Airside that the company is “always striving to develop and innovate. Moreover, we listen to our customers and work with them to produce bespoke features to help with very specific operational challenges.”
Many of these bespoke features now form part of Aviramp’s range of optional extras that can be added to any standard unit. “In fact,” says Smart-Jewkes, “Some of these features we believe should be fitted as standard, and therefore we have modified units to always incorporate certain elements and these can also now be retrofitted for customers with existing units.
“Plus, we are always investing in product development and will be launching our own turnaround kit in 2020, which can be purchased in its entirety or individually – this includes the Aviramp boarding product, steps and belt loader.”
The unique nature of the Aviramp product offers a range of advantages, the company believes. Smart-Jewkes notes: “Aviramp’s differentiator is that we offer a great deal of value to all stakeholders, including airports, airlines, ground handlers and passengers, as well as PRMs [passengers with restricted mobility].
“The Aviramp product delivers such a raft of benefits in terms of turnaround efficiencies and speed, huge cost savings, and – fundamentally – a streamlined all-inclusive passenger experience including delivering greater dignity for the disabled and elderly. The Aviramp’s versatility is exemplified by the breadth of advantages it offers.”
As Aviramp’s product range evolves, it represents changing market demands. “Fundamentally, buyers want reliable, safe and low-maintenance ground support equipment, which the Aviramp delivers,” says Smart-Jewkes. “Each airport and location has its own challenges, layout, restrictions, processes and peculiarities, and we work in a bespoke way with our customers, gleaning insights and understanding their challenges to come up with the right configuration for each.
“One size does not fit all. So we work collaboratively with customers and operations teams to deliver the right solution that works effectively for them.”
