Medical requirements
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Wheelchair users
If you have your own wheelchair, this will be carried free of charge in addition to your normal baggage allowance. Since a wheelchair is carried in the hold and collected in the baggage reclaim area, we advise that it is adequately insured against loss or damage since the airline liability is limited.
Wherever possible you will be able to stay in your own wheelchair/mobility aid to and from the aircraft side. If required you will be transferred to another wheelchair to take you to your seat on the aircraft. If you are a wheelchair user who cannot manage stairs or are unable to walk, please contact us, in order that we can make arrangements and advise on the facilities available for getting on and off the aircraft, as these can vary depending on the destination you are travelling to.
At some airports it may not be possible for you to take your wheelchair/mobility aid to the gate, where this is the case we may have to take it at check-in and give it back to you in the arrivals baggage hall of your destination airport. If we do this we will arrange for you to be transported from check-in to the aircraft in another wheelchair, or buggy where appropriate and, on arrival, from the aircraft to the baggage hall of your destination airport.
We need to know about the size (including height, width and length) and weight of your wheelchair and whether your wheelchair is collapsible, foldable or rigid, so please have these details to hand when you tell us you are bringing it with you. For health and safety reasons, airport staff are unable to manually lift equipment up and down stairs or narrow ramps.
Wheelchair Types and Preparation for Travel
It is your responsibility to provide sufficient information about your wheelchair/mobility aid and batteries prior to travel. Dependant upon the type of wheelchair/mobility aid being used, a number of safety measures will need to be taken before the flight and you will need to provide information to enable airport staff to assist you. Some examples of those safety measures to be taken are detailed below.
Electronically powered wheelchairs will be accepted for travel, providing that the general conditions for their carriage, as outlined in the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, are met. These relate to the batteries used to power wheelchairs. Since the batteries will remain attached to the wheelchair, it is important that the wheelchair can be easily stored in an upright position when collapsed for carriage.
For wheelchairs/mobility aids with dry cell batteries or non-spillable (including gel) batteries
Protect the wheelchair/mobility aid from inadvertent operation i.e. remove the key, deactivate using the joystick, deactivate using an isolation switch or buttons.
If you cannot do this you will need to disconnect the battery and protect it against short-circuiting by insulating battery terminals.
For wheelchairs/mobility aids powered by wet-cell (spillable) batteries
Remove all connections from the battery terminals.
Protect the battery terminals to prevent short circuits by covering the terminals with electrical insulating tape or plastic caps.
Ensure that the battery (or batteries) is securely fastened and installed in the wheelchair/mobility aid battery tray.
To ensure safe carriage of your wheelchair/mobility aid it would be very helpful if you brought the manufacturers instructions (re: disconnection of batteries) with you to the airport.
Please note that you cannot travel with wet-cell batteries for any purpose other than for powering wheelchairs.
If you are a wheelchair user or have reduced mobility, we recommend that you call us on 0844 855 0515 as soon as possible after booking, and no later than 48 hours before departure, to request assistance service at airports. If you do not request this in advance we cannot guarantee that this service will be available, as there is a limit on the number of passengers with reduced mobility and the number of wheelchairs we are able to assist on the day with no pre-notification.
Other Mobility Aids
Manual wheelchairs, crutches, sticks or walking frames are carried free of charge and are not included in the normal carry-on baggage allowance.
Small mobility aids such as crutches, sticks or wheelchair accessories may be taken into the cabin, provided they can be safely and securely stowed.
Note: If these items are being transported on behalf of someone else who is not travelling, then in this instance any normal excess baggage charges will apply.
Onboard the Aircraft
All Thomas Cook Aircraft have an onboard wheelchair specially designed to fit the aircraft aisles.
We offer priority boarding for passengers requiring assistance and the vast majority of our seats are designed with lifting armrests to enable a simple transfer between wheelchair and seat.
You will be transferred to the on-board wheelchair on entrance to the aircraft and your own chair will be stored during the flight.
Please note that mechanical hoists cannot fit within the confines of the aircraft cabin and therefore cannot be used for the lift and transfer of disabled passengers by personal attendants into the aircraft seat.
Onboard Toilets
Cabin crew can provide assistance to and from the toilet door with the onboard wheelchair, but cannot assist within the toilet for hygiene reasons.
If this type of assistance is required, please refer to the section on ‘Travelling with a carer’ section of our website or contact us for further advice.
Travelling with a Carer
A carer must travel with any passenger who does not meet the DFT (Department for Transport) code of practice definition of self reliance. In establishing whether someone is "self-reliant" the DFT stipulate that the passenger should be independent in the following areas:
- Feeding - the passenger should be capable of feeding themselves. Cabin crew could still expect to assist with opening food containers and describing catering arrangements to blind people.
- Lifting - the passenger should be capable of moving from a passenger seat to an on-board wheelchair.
- Toileting - the passenger should be capable of using the toilet facilities unaided.
- Communicating - the passenger should be able to communicate with cabin crew and understand their advice/instructions.
- Medicating - the passenger should be capable of administering their own medicines and medical procedures.
- Breathing - the passenger should not be reliant on supplementary oxygen.
If you are not self-reliant (capable of taking care of all your physical needs independently in-flight) a carer is required for travel to take care of these needs. The carer must purchase a ticket at the same time.
A carer can travel with a maximum of 2 passengers requiring additional assistance as outlined above.
Due to CAA (Civil Aviation Authority) regulations, any persons with reduced mobility or any physical disability or intellectual impairment cannot be allocated seats adjacent to the emergency exits.
