Luftfahrt-Bundesamt

Frequently Asked Questions -"Reduced mobility"

What is governed by Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006?

Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air, which is in force since 26 July 2008, shall give the relevant persons opportunities for air travel comparable to those of other citizens. The regulation obliges air carriers and European airports to provide assistance and information thus to facilitate the planning and performance of a flight for disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility.

On the basis of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006, for which flights may be claimed assistance?

Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 obliges all airports on the territory of the European Union to provide assistance for passengers with reduced mobility. The regulation also applies to airports on the territory of Switzerland, Norway and Iceland.

Assistance must be provided by the air carriers for all flights departing from a European airport. The same applies for flights departing from an airport in Switzerland, Norway or Iceland. For flights departing from non-European countries into the European Union, only Community air carriers or air carriers registered in the aforementioned countries are obliged to provide relevant assistance.

On the basis of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006, who may claim assistance?

Due to the regulation, disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility may claim assistance by air carriers and airports.

This applies to passengers who, due to any physical disability (sensory or locomotor), intellectual disability or impairment, any other cause of disability or age, can only use means of transport in a limited way and who therefore need appropriate attention and assistance adapted to their particular needs.

The provisions of this regulation do not apply to unaccompanied minors. Many air carriers offer special services for this group of passengers enabling them to be supervised when travelling.

Is assistance subject to fees?

No, assistance provided for passengers with reduced mobility is principally not subject to fees.

What do I have to do to obtain assistance?

In order to ensure an optimal care, it is of high importance that air carriers and, if necessary, airports receive appropriate information on your relevant need for assistance in time. This is the only way to achieve an effective and targeted coordination of care service.

We kindly ask you to notify your need for assistance when booking, however, 48 hours before the departure at the latest. Your contact person is the operating air carrier or the tour operator where the flight was booked.

If there is no notification or if you use an incorrect code for the care service, this may lead to the fact that the need for assistance cannot be provided at all, cannot be provided in a suitable manner or can only be provided with delay.
When notifying please specify your particular needs and the resulting specific needs for assistance. You should take into account that, depending on the size and the structural conditions of the airport, there might be longer distances or there might be stairs when getting on/off the aeroplane.

If you take with you medical aids (devices or mobility aids), information regarding the kind, the dimensions (length x width x height) and the weight of the aids are required when notifying. If the aids are motorized, the operating air carrier needs regularly information on the kind of battery.

Even if the reduced mobility results from acute medical problems (e. g. recent operation or fracture), we kindly recommend you to contact the operating air carrier as early as possible to clarify the framework conditions for the transport.

Which kind of assistance is available at the airport?

At the airports, particular contact points or information counters are provided for care service where passengers with reduced mobility may contact the care service of the airport. In general, these designated points are in the entrance area of the terminal.


According to their needs, passengers with reduced mobility are offered cost-free assistance by the staff of the care service

  • to get from the arrival point within the airport (e. g. in the entrance area of the terminal, in the parking area, in the transition area between station and airport building) to the baggage drop-off counter,
  • to pass the customs clearance and the security controls to reach the boarding gate,
  • to board the aeroplane and to access their seat,
  • to leave the aeroplane after landing,
  • to reach connecting flights in transit,
  • to pick up their baggage and possibly mobility equipment after arrival at the place of destination.

In order to ensure an optimal care, it is of high importance that air carriers and, if necessary, airports receive appropriate information on your relevant need for assistance in time. This is the only way to achieve an effective and targeted coordination of care service. The regulation provides a notification period of 48 hours before the planned departure time.

If there is no notification of need for assistance (in time), the airports will do their best to the extent possible to support the passengers. Incorrect notifications or notifications not made in time, however, often lead to delays and thus to burdens for the persons concerned or possibly for other passengers.

Already when booking, however, at the latest when notifying the need for assistance, you should inform your air carrier or your tour operator of the kind of your reduced mobility and the resulting specific needs for assistance. Please take into account that, depending on the size and the structural conditions of the airport, there might be longer distances or there might be stairs when getting on/off the aeroplane.

Which assistance must be provided by air carriers?

Principally, air carriers may not refuse to accept bookings of passengers with reference to their disability or reduced mobility and to carry out the transport for these passengers.

Furthermore, air carriers are obliged to offer passengers with reduced mobility in particular the following assistance on a cost-free basis:

  • carriage of medical devices and additionally of up to two mobility aids for each passenger including electric wheelchairs,
  • carriage of recognized assistance dogs in the cabin,
  • making of all reasonable efforts to arrange seating according to the needs of the passenger,
  • assistance to move to the toilet facilities, if required.

Are there any restrictions regarding the assistance provided by air carriers?

Restrictions in case of the carriage of passengers with reduced mobility and their medical devices and mobility aids may result from national or international safety regulations or official requirements.

As to the carriage of passengers with reduced mobility, the respective air carrier shall define a procedure to ensure the safety of the aircraft and of its passengers.

Thus, there are for example relevant safety regulations that must be complied with by the air carriers in case of the assignment of seats to passengers with reduced mobility resulting from European regulations (Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 and the related interpretative material (CAT.OP.MPA.155)). In order to ensure the performance of tasks by the crew and the compliance with the necessary requirements to evacuate the aeroplane in an emergency case, the assignment of seats to passengers with reduced mobility may be restricted. This is to guarantee the safety of all flight passengers and of the crew in an emergency case and an orderly evacuation. Depending on the type of the aeroplane used and on other basic conditions such as the capacity situation of the specific flight, differences may arise. Principally, the assignment of seats in the area of the emergency exits is not permitted to this group of flight passengers.

In particular concerning medical devices and electrical wheelchairs, requirements in the field of dangerous goods must be complied with. This may possibly lead to the fact that the carriage of notified aids must be refused.

Furthermore, in individual cases, due to the size of the aeroplane used and its cargo doors it may happen that it is not possible to load and to carry notified baggage.

We kindly recommend you to contact the operating air carrier as early as possible and to inform yourself of the basic conditions as well as of possible restrictions in case of the carriage.

Which are the international standard codes for care to notify the need for assistance?

In order to notify the need for assistance, international standard codes for care are used describing the need for assistance of the passenger. The following international classifications (the so-called IATA codes) are used to collect the degree of mobility of passengers with reduced mobility:

WCHR Wheelchair Ramp
These passengers cannot walk longer distances and need a wheelchair or another aid for carriage to/from the airplane. They can, however, climb (short flights of) stairs and use an apron bus without assistance.

WCHS Wheelchair Stairs
These passengers cannot climb stairs, but can walk short distances.

WCHC Wheelchair Cabin
These passengers always need a wheelchair, even in the cabin they cannot move without external assistance.

BLND passengers who are visually impaired or blind

DEAF passengers who are deaf, hearing impaired or deaf and dumb

DEAF-BLND passengers who are deaf and blind

DPNA disabled passengers with intellectual or developmental disability needing assistance, passengers with intellectual impairment (this also applies to unaccompanied passengers with light cases of dementia)

When collecting the degree of mobility, in particular the local conditions at the airports must be taken into account, e. g. that possibly

  • distances are longer in the terminal buildings or when changing planes,
  • stairs or passenger boarding bridges must be considered,
  • busses must be used to transport the passengers to the embarkation area if the aeroplane is at a remote position.

If there is no notification or if you use an incorrect code for the care service, this may lead to the fact that the need for assistance cannot be provided at all, cannot be provided in a suitable manner or can only be provided with delay.

What do I have to bear in mind if I travel with an electric wheelchair?

Principally, up to two wheelchairs of a passenger must be transported cost-free and may not be included in your baggage allowance.

Restrictions regarding the transport of wheelchairs may result from the size of the cargo doors of the airplane used, from restrictions for the safe stowage of the wheelchair or from dangerous goods regulations for the transport of battery-powered wheelchairs.

When transporting electric wheelchairs, battery type and battery power must be taken into account on the basis of the relevant dangerous goods regulations.

When notifying the need for assistance, please inform your air carrier of the required information on the medical devices, in case of electric wheelchairs in particular the following details:

  • brand/model
  • type of battery (the battery must have passed test 38.3 of the UN manual of Tests and Criteria); evidence can be requested at the manufacturer
  • weight
  • dimensions (length x width x height)
  • electrical power in Watt hours (Wh)

In case of electric wheelchairs powered by lithium-ion batteries, the power of one built-in battery may not exceed 300 Watt hours, in case of two built-in batteries each battery may not exceed 160 Watt hours. In general, the transport of these wheelchairs does not require a disconnection of the battery provided that

  • the battery poles are protected from short circuits, e. g. contained in a battery box,
  • the battery is securely attached to the wheelchair or to the mobility aid powered by the battery,
  • the circuits were interrupted.

If a wheelchair powered by a battery or another similar mobility aid is specifically designed for the removal of the battery (such as foldable wheelchairs), the battery must be removed. The wheelchair/the mobility aid can be carried as hold baggage without any restriction. The removed battery must be protected from short circuits, e. g. by insulating the poles or by putting them into a protective bag. Depending on the type of battery, it is carried either in the cargo compartment or in the passenger cabin. Concerning this matter, please contact directly the air carrier.

Normally, there is the possibility of using your own wheelchair to the airplane door. However, if you have a heavy motorized wheelchair requiring special treatment, it might be necessary to have it checked earlier so that it can be loaded safely.

What do I have to keep in mind if I travel with a CPAP device?

A CPAP device is a medical device in terms of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 to be carried without being included in the baggage allowance.
However, it must be considered that, for safety reasons, air carriers request information in advance regarding the kind of the device used, the kind of batteries or battery cells used in the devices and, if necessary, a medical certificate of the passenger’s fitness. The safety regulations for CPAP devices may be different depending on the individual air carriers.
Typically, the air carriers require the following information or documents in connection with the carriage of medical devices:

  • a medical certificate
  • a data sheet of the device manufacturer specifying model and type
  • information batteries/battery cells used
  • in case of pressurized gas cylinders data on weight and filling pressure

We kindly recommend you to contact the operating air carrier as early as possible and to inform yourself of the basic conditions as well as of possible restrictions in case of the carriage.

Do I principally have the right to choose a seat as a passenger with reduced mobility?

Pursuant to Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006, air carriers are not generally obliged to arrange seating according to the wishes of the passenger concerned. Subject to the applicable safety requirements, the air carriers shall make all reasonable efforts to arrange seating to meet the particular needs of the passenger.

The safety requirements result in particular from Regulation (EU) No 965/2012 laying down technical requirements and administrative procedures related to air operations and from related interpretative material (CAT.OP.MPA.155).
The air carriers shall ensure that persons with reduced mobility are not assigned to seats where their presence could impede the crew in their duties, where their presence could obstruct access to emergency equipment or affect the evacuation of the aircraft in emergency cases. Due to these requirements, restrictions may arise when assigning the seats.

This leads to the fact that seats in emergency exit rows cannot be assigned to passengers with reduced mobility. Normally, even an aisle seat may only be assigned, if middle seat and window seat of the row section concerned cannot be occupied or if, in case of wide-body aircraft, the persons seating next to the passenger with reduced mobility, may leave their seat even to the other side and the total aisle width remains the same. Thus, it shall be ensured that, in the case of an evacuation, passengers sitting next to the person with reduced mobility may leave their seat as soon as possible. Depending on the type of the aeroplane used and on other basic conditions, differences may arise.

On which basis air carriers can require an accompanying person for a passenger with reduced mobility?

Due to Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006, air carriers principally may not refuse the carriage of passengers with reduced mobility or may not impose special conditions. However, there are exceptions to this principle to meet the applicable safety requirements.

In order to meet the applicable safety requirements, an air carrier can make the carriage of a passenger with reduced mobility dependent on an accompanying person.

According to Regulation (EU) No 965/2012, an air carrier is obliged to ensure the same level of safety for all passengers on board in every situation, i.e. also in an emergency case. In this context, air carriers shall specify, among others, procedures in their manuals how passengers with strongly reduced mobility are evacuated from the airplane in emergency cases. These procedures could include that an accompanying person is requested who evacuates the passenger with strongly reduced mobility from the airplane in an emergency case.

Often, standardized criteria are used by air carriers regarding the request for an accompanying person. For example, many air carriers demand that the passenger should be able to carry out the following actions without any assistance:

  • fasten and open his/her seat belt,
  • take out and put on his/her life jacket,
  • leave his/her seat and reach the emergency exit (not necessarily by walking),
  • put on an oxygen mask.

The accompanying person of the passenger should be above 16 years of age and physically able to provide assistance for the passenger in an emergency case.

Are there any special conditions for accompanying persons?

The conditions for the carriage of an accompanying person for a passenger with reduced mobility are not subject to Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006. Insofar no claim for a cost-free carriage of an accompanying person can be derived from Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006.

Do I have to submit evidence for my disability or reduced mobility?

No. Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006 does not oblige passengers to submit evidence for their disability or reduced mobility to receive the assistance requested. Principally, air carriers may not request any corresponding evidence as a condition for the purchase of a ticket.

However, in cases of reasonable doubt, where a passenger has a safe flight and does not need any assistance due to his medical condition, the air carrier is permitted to assess the fitness of this person and to request information.

Where can I address to in case of problems?

If you are of the opinion that your rights were not considered, you should first address to the air carrier concerned or the airport concerned. If there is no agreement, you have the possibility of sending your complaint to the competent national complaints and enforcement body regarding Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006.

The contact data of all complaints and enforcement bodies notified for the regulation are available on the internet at:

https://ec.europa.eu/transport/sites/transport/files/themes/passengers/air/doc/prm/2006_1107_national_enforcement_bodies.pdf

Regarding Germany, the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt was notified as the complaints and enforcement body for Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006. The Luftfahrt-Bundesamt checks whether and to what extent airport or air carrier infringed their obligations resulting from the regulation. In case of justified complaints, the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt can impose sanctions against these air carriers, however, cannot claim for your damages. If necessary, you must claim the damage by civil law.

Furthermore, passengers concerned have the possibility of addressing to one of the two conciliation bodies approved for air transport. Information on conciliation as well as on contact data of the conciliation bodies approved in Germany are available on the website of the Luftfahrt-Bundesamt:

http://www.lba.de/DE/ZentraleDienste/Fluggastrechte/Schlichtung/Schlichtung_node.html

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