Flying with a mobility scooter raises two separate questions: whether the airline will carry the scooter and its battery, and what help the passenger is entitled to at the airport. This guide deals with the second question, drawing on the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) and the assistance regulation as it applies in the United Kingdom. Airline battery and size rules are covered in the site’s guide to flying with a mobility scooter.
Who is entitled to assistance
The CAA’s page on accessibility rights states that a person with a disability or reduced mobility is legally entitled to assistance, free of charge, when flying from a UK airport on any airline, or flying to a UK airport on a UK or EU airline. It adds that assistance is available for, but not limited to, wheelchair users and people with physical disabilities including reduced mobility, and passengers with hidden disabilities.
The CAA is clear that the position outside the UK varies. Similar rights apply in the EU and the US, but not every country offers assisted travel, and some may charge a fee or provide no support at all. A trip that begins at a non-UK airport on a non-UK, non-EU airline is therefore outside the CAA’s statement of the UK entitlement.
The legal source: Regulation 1107/2006
The entitlement comes from Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 on the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air, which legislation.gov.uk publishes as it applies in the UK. Article 7 makes the managing body of the airport responsible for providing the assistance specified in the Regulation’s Annex I so that the person can take the flight for which they hold a reservation. That responsibility applies provided that notice of the particular needs was given to the air carrier, its agent or the tour operator at least 48 hours before the published departure time. The notification also covers a return flight if both flights were contracted with the same carrier. Where no such notification is made, Article 7(3) still requires the managing body to make all reasonable efforts to provide the assistance so that the person can take their flight.
Requesting assistance in practice
The CAA advises requesting assistance when booking, or at least 48 hours before departure, through the airline, travel agent or tour operator. Without advance notice, it warns, a passenger may face delays or not receive the support needed. Airlines, travel agents and tour operators must offer a free way to request assistance when booking or at a later stage, although the CAA notes this is not always automatic and a passenger may need to ask. It suggests looking for an assistance link when booking online, keeping in mind that some airlines require a phone call or form, and asking for written confirmation of the assistance reservation.
For a scooter or powered wheelchair, the CAA notes that airlines need to know if the passenger is taking an electric wheelchair or mobility aid, so that notice should be included in the request.
What help is available at the airport
According to the CAA, assistance can include transfer from a car park, bus stop or drop-off point to the terminal, help through security searches, help with boarding and seating, and use of an airport wheelchair to reach the gate. Assistance points are typically inside or outside terminals and at drop-off points, car parks, train stations and bus terminals, and should be signposted, often with a buzzer or telephone. The CAA recommends allowing extra time at check-in when assistance is needed.
On the mobility equipment itself, the CAA states that a passenger who uses their own mobility aid should be able to use it up to the departure gate before it is stored in the aircraft hold. At the destination, the CAA says the wheelchair or mobility aid should be returned at the arrival gate unless there are extenuating reasons.
What airline staff are not expected to do
The CAA lists limits on in-flight help. Airline staff are not expected to help with eating, drinking, taking medication or using the toilet, so a passenger who needs that support may need to travel with a person who can provide it. Most airlines have onboard wheelchairs to help move around the aircraft, and the CAA recommends discussing onboard needs with the airline before travel.
If the equipment is lost or damaged
Article 12 of the Regulation, as it applies in the UK, provides that where wheelchairs or other mobility equipment or assistive devices are lost or damaged while being handled at the airport or transported on board aircraft, the passenger to whom the equipment belongs must be compensated in accordance with the rules of international law and the law of England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. The Article does not set a fixed sum. Photographing the equipment before handover and reporting any damage to the airline immediately at the airport is a sensible way to preserve a claim.
Frequently asked questions
Do I pay for assistance? The CAA says assistance is free of charge for flights covered by the UK entitlement.
What if I book less than 48 hours ahead? Article 7(1) ties the airport’s full responsibility to notice given at least 48 hours before departure, although Article 7(3) still requires the airport to make all reasonable efforts to help where no notice was given, and the CAA warns that without notice a passenger may not receive the support needed, so requesting help as early as possible is advisable.
Can a companion push me instead? The CAA says a companion can escort a passenger through the airport, including pushing a wheelchair, as an alternative to assistance staff.
The bottom line
Disabled passengers flying from a UK airport on any airline, or to one on a UK or EU airline, are entitled to free assistance, which the airport must ensure where notice is given at least 48 hours before departure (and must make reasonable efforts to provide even without notice). Telling the airline about a scooter or powered wheelchair when booking, keeping written confirmation and using the mobility aid up to the gate are the main practical steps, with compensation available under Article 12 if the equipment is damaged.
Sources
- UK Civil Aviation Authority, "Your accessibility rights" (caa.co.uk)
- UK Civil Aviation Authority, "How to access help and support" (caa.co.uk)
- legislation.gov.uk, Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006, Article 7 (Right to assistance at airports)
- legislation.gov.uk, Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006, Article 12 (Compensation for lost or damaged wheelchairs, other mobility equipment and assistive devices)