The MGS Approach: How Human Leadership + Predictive Modeling Reduces PRM Costs by 30%+
PRM (Passengers with Reduced Mobility) services are one of the most visible and most vulnerable parts of airport operations.
They sit at the intersection of compliance, customer experience, and operational execution.
And right now, in many major U.S. airports, they are breaking down.
Not because airlines don’t care. Not because demand is unpredictable.
But because the model itself is flawed.
At MGS, we’ve spent years inside these operations. And what we’ve found is consistent:
Most PRM providers are either overly reliant on labor or process. Very few get both right.
PRM Breaks Down Because of Complacency
Across major hubs, the same issues show up again and again with legacy PRM providers:
- Service failures drive reactive decision-making
- Vendors default to adding more staff instead of fixing the system
- Technology is underutilized or missing entirely
- On-the-ground leadership is inconsistent or inexperienced
- Airline gate agents are left without a reliable partner
- Equipment and workflows create friction instead of flow
This creates a cycle of inefficiency.
When service declines, more people are added. When more people are added, complexity increases. And when complexity increases, service declines again.
Costs go up. But performance does not improve.
But why? Complacency. Most PRM providers are asleep at the wheel, and instead of stepping in and fixing the core issues and remodeling the service with updated data, they react by adding more staff and inflating the airline’s costs.
The MGS Difference: Leadership + Modeling + Technology
At MGS, we take a fundamentally different approach.
We don’t believe PRM is a staffing problem. We believe it is an operational design problem, and solving it requires three things working together:
1. Human Leadership at the Point of Service
Most providers underinvest in leadership. We do the opposite.
MGS deploys dedicated zone-based leaders inside the terminal who:
- Manage pre-boarding and deplaning in real time
- Conduct proactive wellness checks
- Serve as the primary interface for airline gate and check-in agents
- Anticipate issues before they escalate
This is not theoretical leadership. It is operational leadership: At the counter and at the gate, in the moment, where decisions matter.
2. Predictive Modeling That Mirrors Reality
We don’t guess staffing needs. We model them.
Before any engagement, MGS analyzes:
- Full flight schedules months in advance
- Demand in 10-minute increments
- Special Service Requests (SSR) layered onto demand
- Daily surge patterns across “banked” flight schedules
This allows us to build a staffing model that mirrors real demand, not assumptions based on past failures.
3. Technology That Creates Visibility and Accountability
Technology is not a replacement for people. It is an amplifier.
MGS integrates technology to:
- Capture and retain real-time, timestamped service data
- Track the full passenger journey
- Enable high scan compliance to ensure that data is available when needed
- Provide operational visibility to both MGS and airline partners
This ensures that service is not only delivered, but documented, measured, and continuously improved.
From Reactive to Predictive Operations
Airport operations will always have variability. But variability does not mean unpredictability. As Larry Parrotte, Chief Commercial Officer at MGS, puts it:
“We are not victims of the irregularity of airport operations. There are patterns, and predictive analytics allows us to adjust accordingly. So, when the unexpected happens, we’re ready.”
This is the shift. From reacting to problems, to anticipating them.
The Result: 30%+ Reduction in PRM Total Cost of Ownership
When leadership, modeling, and technology are aligned, the results are not incremental—they are material.
In one major U.S. airline hub with a long-term incumbent provider:
- Traditional model: $312 per flight
- MGS model: $195 per flight
- Result: 30%+ reduction in total cost of operations for PRM
Initially, the airline did not believe this level of efficiency was achievable.
That skepticism is common, because most providers have conditioned the market to think this is as good as it gets.
Why This Matters Beyond Cost
Cost reduction is only part of the story. PRM performance also directly impacts:
- Regulatory compliance and DOT exposure
- Brand perception and passenger trust
- On-time performance and operational flow
- Internal airline workload tied to complaints and claims
Without proper documentation and visibility, airlines are left exposed.
With the right system in place, those risks are significantly reduced.
A Better Model for a Dynamic Industry
The aviation environment is constantly changing. Seasonality, route changes, and macro conditions all impact demand.
That is why MGS:
- Aligns pricing with actual demand through a hybrid commercial model
- Maintains consistent, experienced leadership on-site
- Proactively re-models operations at least every six months
- Continuously refines staffing based on real data
This ensures that PRM operations evolve with the environment, not fall behind it.
From Complacency to Control
The biggest risk in PRM today is not complexity. It is complacency.
Providers that rely on outdated staffing models and minimal oversight create hidden costs, operational risk, and brand exposure. MGS was built to challenge that model.
By combining human leadership, predictive modeling, and technology, MGS delivers a system that is:
- More efficient
- More predictable
- More accountable
- And ultimately, more aligned with what airlines actually need
Request a Custom Station Assessment
If your current PRM provider is operating the same way they did two years ago, they are already behind. It may be time for an MGS Custom Station Assessment.
We’ll show you exactly where your operation is overstaffed, underperforming, or exposed, and what it would take to fix it.
