Flying with limited mobility or a wheelchair
What to tell the airline, when to tell them, and the details that decide whether the journey is manageable.
Airlines handle mobility assistance routinely, but the arrangements are made in advance and by category. Booking late or describing the need loosely is what causes problems.
Tell the airline early and specifically
Assistance is requested at booking and confirmed before departure. Airlines distinguish between a passenger who can walk short distances, one who can walk only to a seat, and one who cannot walk at all — the categories determine what equipment meets you.
Describe the actual situation rather than choosing the least trouble. Under-declaring means the wrong equipment at the gate.
The wheelchair itself
Declare the type, the dimensions and, for a powered chair, the battery chemistry — airlines apply different rules to different batteries and some require documentation.
Powered chairs travel in the hold and occasionally arrive damaged. Photograph the chair before departure and carry the specification with you.
On the day
Allow considerably more time than usual, keep medication and imaging in hand luggage, and carry the invitation letter in print.
Tell us the flight details before you pay for them. The transfer at the other end is arranged around the arrival hour and the equipment, and a short check prevents the most common avoidable difficulty of the trip.
Topic
More in Accessibility and special needs
- Accessibility: what to confirm for your own situationRehabilitation centres are built around limited mobility — but "accessible" is a general word and your requirement is specific.
- Religious and cultural requirements during a stayPrayer, gender preference in care, fasting and diet — what to tell us before arrival so the timetable is built around it.
