A pioneering chair, which has enabled severely disabled children to fly abroad for the first time, has been nominated for an international prize.

MERU, based in West Hill, Epsom, designs and makes life-changing equipment for disabled and young people. 

It has made it to the final round of the 2013 Crystal Cabin Awards, the only international gong for innovations in the field of aircraft cabins, for its TravelChair, which has been nominated in the passenger comfort hardware category.

The TravelChair offers comfortable, postural support for severely disabled children, aged three to 11, to allow them to travel by air in comfort and safety. 

It fits in most airlines and Virgin Atlantic has just bought 25 of them.

The chair has enabled many children to abroad for family holidays or for treatments for the first time.

MERU’s chairman, Rob Douglas, said: "Our team has worked incredibly hard not just to meet the requirements of a variety of severe or complex disability conditions but also to satisfy stringent manufacturing and airline regulations. 

"Winning this award would be a massive boost and indicate to the airline industry just how valuable the TravelChair is."