The experience altered Aer Rianta's perceptions. Now it strives to consider the needs of physically challenged people from the beginning of the design process. Aer Rianta has also seen to it that Dublin Airport's short-term parking lot has two areas adjacent to the main terminal building specifically allocated for the use of physically challenged people, regardless of the length of their trips. There is also a set-down area for disabled passengers. Dinnigan says that Aer Rianta estimates that about 10 percent of its customers have a disability of one form or another.
People are inclined to say, 'OK, customer disability,' and they see the wheelchair user.
The wheelchair user is very important, obviously. But it's a lot broader than that. A person could have arthritis, or a sensual disability or a learning disability. It could be age that is disabling them in a sense. Aer Rianta, which also operates Shannon and Cork airports, has set out to increase the numbers of physically challenged people on its payroll, a policy, Dinnigan says, that makes good business sense.