In many airports around the world, passengers who can’t walk are routinely carried up boarding stairs to their aircraft. In some cases the airports lack jetways, while in other cases tarmac boarding is required during high traffic times. In all cases it’s a humiliating and dangerous process.

In response to this situation, a UK company has developed a lightweight and easy-to-use alternative to the traditional (and inaccessible) airline boarding stairs. Aviramp — the world’s only portable jet bridge — is a portable aircraft boarding ramp with an eight degree slope. It’s lightweight and coated with a non-slip surface, and it can be put into place manually. Aviramp is available in five sizes so it’s compatible with just about every commercial aircraft. It’s already in use at a remote airport in the Reunion Islands, and the company hopes to expand its presence at other small airports in the coming years. For more information about Aviramp, visit www.aviramp.com.