Disabled and Reduced Mobility

The Regulation (EC) 1107/2006 on the rights of persons with reduced mobility when using air transport prohibits operators from refusing reservation or boarding to persons because of their disability.

There are certain exceptions and derogations, however, particularly for justified safety reasons established by law. An air carrier may refuse to accept a reservation from or to embark a person with reduced mobility or request that a person with reduced mobility who travels must be accompanied by another person in order to meet applicable safety requirements duly established by law or if the size of the aircraft makes it physically impossible to embark the person.

The air carrier must, within five working days of refusing a reservation or embarkation or requiring a person with reduced mobility to be accompanied, write to inform the person concerned of its reasons for so doing.

Persons with reduced mobility are entitled to receive, free of charge, assistance in airports (on departure, arrival and during transit) and on board aircraft (e.g. the transport of wheelchairs and the carriage of guide dogs for the blind).

The managing bodies of airports should provide this assistance and fund the services by levying charges on airlines.