For passengers who use a wheelchair or another mobility aid, preparing for a flight involves much more than simply buying a ticket. They need to know what assistance the airline offers, how to request it, what requirements their wheelchair must meet, and what happens if it is battery-powered. It is also important to understand how boarding works, where the mobility equipment will be returned, and what procedures apply upon arrival at the destination.
For tourism professionals, this information is becoming increasingly important. They need to direct passengers to reliable sources, but requirements are not always centralized. In practice, information may be spread across the airline, the airport, regulatory bodies, and different operational documents.
Airlines are the primary source
The first source passengers should always consult is the airline they are flying with. Each carrier publishes its own requirements for transporting wheelchairs and mobility devices, as well as explaining how to request special assistance.
This information may include details such as maximum equipment dimensions, weight limits, the procedure for checking the device, recommended deadlines for requesting assistance, and the types of batteries that can be transported. These requirements may vary from one airline to another, so passengers should not assume that the conditions set by one carrier also apply to another.
For example, easyJet asks passengers to provide information about the type, make, and model of the device, as well as its dimensions and weight. For certain devices, passengers must also provide details about the type and capacity of the battery. The airline also has specific procedures depending on whether the device uses non-spillable, spillable, or lithium-ion batteries.
Ryanair, meanwhile, provides specific information on electric wheelchairs and mobility scooters, including requirements relating to dimensions, weight, and batteries. In certain circumstances, prior authorization may be required.
These examples show why accessibility information needs to be treated as airline- and trip-specific, particularly when a passenger is traveling with a powered wheelchair or lithium battery.
IATA and European regulations
In addition to individual airlines, there are industry and regulatory sources that help establish the broader framework. One of them is the IATA (International Air Transport Association), which publishes guidelines for airlines on accessibility and the transportation of battery-powered mobility devices.
IATA provides specific documentation on transporting battery-powered wheelchairs and mobility aids, as well as guidance on SSR (Special Service Request) codes used to identify different assistance needs.
These codes are particularly relevant for professionals working in travel agencies, OTAs, and airlines. Categories such as WCHR, WCHS, and WCHC specify different levels of mobility assistance, but their meaning may not be immediately clear to passengers who are unfamiliar with aviation terminology.
In Europe, Your Europe, the European Union’s official portal, provides information on the rights of passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility. Among other provisions, it states that passengers with reduced mobility are entitled to receive free assistance under certain
circumstances and recommends requesting assistance in advance, generally at least 48 hours before departure, to ensure that the necessary arrangements can be made.
European regulations also cover the transportation of mobility aids, although certain restrictions apply, including those related to dangerous goods regulations and specific types of batteries.
The challenge of fragmented information
For the travel industry, one of the main challenges is not necessarily a lack of information, but rather how scattered that information can be. A passenger may need to check the airline’s policy, accessibility information for the departure airport, the conditions at a connecting airport, and the procedures that apply to their particular wheelchair or battery.
In addition, some requirements depend on specific characteristics of the trip. Traveling with a manual wheelchair is not the same as traveling with a powered one, and the requirements can differ depending on whether the device uses a lithium-ion battery or another type. The device’s dimensions and weight, as well as whether the battery can be disconnected or isolated, may also affect the applicable requirements.
This complexity presents a challenge for travel companies. An agency may have all the details about a flight’s schedule and fare, but that does not necessarily mean it has all the information needed to explain how a passenger should travel with a particular wheelchair.
That is why it is especially important to present accessibility information in a clear, contextualized, and traveler-specific way, rather than simply linking to general documents.
TravelAble: personalized information throughout the journey
This is where TravelAble, Smartvel’s accessibility information solution for airlines and airports, comes in. The tool is designed to turn requirements for passengers with reduced mobility into a structured, personalized guide that can be integrated into the passenger’s digital journey.
TravelAble can centralize information from airlines and airports and adapt it to variables such as the route, airline, type of wheelchair or mobility aid, and battery type. It also translates technical codes into explanations that are easier for travelers to understand.
The goal is to help passengers understand what they need to do, when they need to do it, and what to expect at different stages of their journey: before departure, at the airport, during boarding, and upon arrival.
For travel companies, this approach can help address one of the main challenges of communicating accessibility information: having accurate information that is spread across multiple pages, documents, and sources. Instead of requiring passengers to piece the process together themselves, a solution such as TravelAble can present the information in a more structured and context-specific way.
Accessibility, therefore, is not only about providing physical assistance at the airport. It also requires passengers to understand and anticipate the process before they arrive. Providing this information clearly can become an increasingly important part of the digital travel experience.
