|
Air Canada is dedicated to your safety and comfort. In addition to providing Special Meals or assistance to unaccompanied minors, we offer a number of services for customers with special requirements.
Important:
If you are travelling on a flight between Canada and the United States, or if you have purchased a ticket with an Air-Canada operated flight through a US-based airline (the ticket will then bear the code of the US airline, e.g. United Airlines’ UA 7811), please view specific information for itineraries between Canada and the US (e.g. advance notice and medical approval before travel requirements).
If you are travelling on a codeshare flight, please visit the website of the codeshare partner with whom you are travelling to learn about its special service policies. View a list of Air Canada’s codeshare partners’ websites.
Pregnant women travelling by air
Any woman with a normal pregnancy and no previous history of premature labour may travel up to and including her 36th week on Air Canada, Jazz and Air Canada coded flights operated by Tier 3 carriers.
Customers with disabilities
Air Canada offers a number of services for customers with disabilities. The identification of your special needs, at the time of booking, will enhance our ability to offer the services that best meet your requirements. Our customer service personnel will gladly describe services available and help make arrangements.
We may ask for 48 hours advance notice (72 hours for certain destinations) to accommodate your special needs (see below for further information). However, we'll make every effort to accommodate requests made within that time frame. Customers should arrive early at the airport to allow ample time for check-in and boarding.
For special requests, please contact Air Canada Reservations.
Special services include assistance in:
- Registering at the check-in counter
- Proceeding to the boarding area
- Proceeding to the general public area on arrival, or if in the same terminal, to a representative of another carrier
- Boarding and deplaning
- Stowing and retrieving luggage and mobility aids
At your request, we will:
- Make periodic inquiries about your needs and attend to them;
- Arrange for the use of your own wheelchair until boarding the aircraft and for the delivery of your wheelchair at the gate upon arrival;
- Disassemble and package batteries on your motorized wheelchairs, unpack the batteries and reassemble the wheelchair on arrival;
- Stow your small mobility or other aid in the cabin;
- Provide refrigeration free of charge for baby's milk, insulin, or other temperature-sensitive medications. Please request this service at time of boarding.
We will also:
- Assist you in transferring between mobility aids or onto and from the aircraft seat
- Assist you in moving to and from the aircraft washroom (except by carrying) with the use of the on-board wheelchair
- Arrange for alternate transportation for your large mobility aid when travelling on an aircraft with less than 60 seats that cannot accommodate the aid.
Please note that not all Jazz and Tier 3 carrier aircraft have an on-board wheelchair able to access the plane's washrooms. For flights operated by Jazz, view our Fleet page for more information on aircraft configuration. If this is an important consideration for you, please contact Air Canada Reservations and ask for the Medical Assistance Desk to make the necessary arrangements for your flight.
Medical Approval for Travel:
View medical approval and advance notice requirements for itineraries between Canada and the US.
For all other itineraries:
If any of the medical conditions listed below apply to you, you will require medical approval for travel. Please read and follow the procedure for requesting medical approval carefully.
Air Canada requires a 48 hour advance notice prior to travel (72 hours for certain destinations) to process your medical approval. Air Canada will also make a reasonable effort to accommodate any requests made within this time frame.
- You have an unstable medical condition (physical or psychological).
- You have suffered from a recent major medical incident (e.g. heart attack, heart failure, stroke, respiratory failure)
- You have chronic obstructive lung disease and/or a chronic heart condition.
- You have undergone surgery in the last 2 weeks on your brain, eyes, ears, sinuses, chest or abdomen.
- You have anaemia or leukemia.
- You have a history of seizures.
- You require oxygen or need to use your personal oxygen concentrator (POC). View list of approved POCs for travel on Air Canada flights. Please note that the use of an approved POC for travel requires a 48 hours advance notice prior to departure, regardless of destination*.
- You require the use of battery-powered medical equipment during the flight. View important information on CPAP, sleep apnea and other battery powered medical equipment
- You have an infectious or contagious disease that could pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others on your flight (e.g. tuberculosis or SARS)*.
- You require an attendant to assist you with your personal and physical needs during the flight. See the 'Travel with an attendant' section below.
- You have thrombophlebitis (inflamed blood vessels and/or blood clots).
- You have had an incident on board a previous flight or at the airport and may require medical attention.
- You have caused a flight diversion on a previous flight you have taken.
- You are an Unaccompanied Minor and have a medical problem.
- You have an intellectual disability (e.g. Down syndrome, Alzheimer's disease). Air Canada offers a Service for Unaccompanied Adult Requiring Assistance
- You suffer from epilepsy.
- You are travelling with an infant aged 7 days or less or a premature infant or an infant with a medical condition.
- You have a cast that was placed on a part of your body less than 72 hours ago.
Please also note that not all Air Canada Jazz aircraft have an on-board wheelchair able to access the plane's washrooms. If this is an important consideration for you, please contact Air Canada Reservations and ask for the Medical Assistance Desk to make the necessary arrangements for your flight.
* applies also to itineraries between Canada and the United States. |
| Extra seating |
For travel within Canada on Air Canada, Jazz, and Air Canada-coded flights operated by Tier 3 carriers (when aircraft type and configuration allow – view our Fleet page for more information), customers who require extra seating because they are disabled by obesity or because they must accommodate another disability may request the service free of charge.
For bookings made before January 9 for travel after that date, please contact Air Canada Reservations. If customers qualify for extra seating and their flight is after January 9, Air Canada will make the proper adjustments and either refund money or provide extra seating as required.
For all other itineraries, fees for the extra seat vary by destination and by applicable fare at time of booking.
Passengers wishing to request extra seating because of a disability will require medical approval for travel (does not apply to itineraries between Canada and the United States).
Please read and follow the procedure for requesting medical approval carefully.
Passengers who are not eligible for a free extra seat may purchase one for comfort through Air Canada Reservations.
Please be advised that extra seating is not available on Beech aircraft and in Executive Class, and may be restricted on CRJ and Embraer aircraft.
No advance seat selection is permitted when requesting extra seating. Seats are assigned manually in advance of flight by the Air Canada Medical Services desk with the purpose of accommodating your disability.
When requesting an extra seat, a single reservation and ticket are required in the name of the person travelling. Duplicate bookings under the same name are not permitted, nor are identical bookings made under different names or pseudonyms. |
| Seat selection |
For customers who require extra seating because they are disabled by obesity or because they must accommodate another disability, please see the Extra seating section above.
By contacting Air Canada Reservations, you can request a seat:
- with liftable or removable armrests
- with additional floor space to accommodate a service animal
- close to the washrooms and exits
- with extra legroom
View specific information for itineraries between Canada and the United States.
If you did not pre-select your seat when you made your reservation, but require special seating accommodations, please contact Air Canada Reservations.
If you are flying on a code share flight (operated by another carrier), Air Canada cannot guarantee special seating. Please contact either the operating carrier directly, or Air Canada Reservations, who will make every reasonable effort to fulfill your special seating needs. |
| Executive First Class cabin |
Extra seating for medical reasons is not available in Executive Class. Some exceptions may apply to passengers requiring extra room because they are disabled by obesity or to accommodate another disability.
Passengers who are not self-reliant and who require an attendant cannot be accommodated in an Executive First Suite in our newly refurbished Executive First Class cabin (applies only to our B767 and B777 aircraft).
Visually impaired passengers may be seated in an Executive First Suite and may travel with a service animal such as a seeing-eye dog, provided the animal travels under the Suite's footstool and/or seat at all times. Please contact Air Canada Reservations whenever booking travel for passengers with special needs in the Executive First Class for full information on safety precautions. |
| Travel with an attendant |
Passengers who are not self-reliant and who require an attendant cannot be accommodated in an Executive First Suite in our newly refurbished Executive First Class cabin (applies only to our B767 and B777 aircraft).
For travel within Canada on Air Canada, Jazz, and Air Canada-coded flights operated by Tier 3 carriers, an attendant may travel at no charge. Please note that all applicable taxes remain payable, except the Gander Airport Authority's Improvement fee.
Please contact the Air Canada Medical Assistance Desk at 1-800-667-4732 for more information.
For other travel within North America, the attendant may be able to travel on a reduced fare. Please contact Air Canada Reservations for more information.
View specific information for itineraries between Canada and the United States.
No advance seat selection is permitted when travelling with an attendant. Seats are assigned manually in advance of flight by the Air Canada Medical Services desk with the purpose of accommodating your special needs. |
| Carriage of mobility aids |
Air Canada will carry the following aids as priority baggage without charge and in addition to the free baggage allowance:
- Wheelchairs
- Walkers, canes, crutches and braces
- Communication devices
- Prostheses or medical devices
Mobility aid battery-powered equipment requires special handling and packaging. For this reason, if you wish to transport such equipment and you are travelling:
For battery-powered mobility aids, some disassembly may be required. We must inspect the battery label to verify if it is spillable or non-spillable. If your mobility aid is powered by spillable batteries and we must tilt it while loading or stowing due to the size of the aircraft, or if a battery is not secured to your mobility aid, we may have to remove and pack batteries separately.
It would be helpful if you could bring along instructions to help us with the disassembly and re-assembly of your powered mobility aid, should such manipulations be required.
|
| Baggage identification tags |
Tags are supplied to all our customers at check-in counters and we ask that you use them to identify your luggage and any equipment, including a wheelchair. A specially-designed tag for wheelchairs alerts our customer service agents whether your chair must be delivered to the aircraft door or the baggage room. |
| Boarding cards |
The special needs or condition of a person can be identified by customer service employees through a special notation on the customer's boarding card. |
| Oxygen service |
Passengers who require oxygen or need to use their personal oxygen concentrator (View list of approved POCs) for travel on Air Canada flights require medical approval for travel. Please read and follow the procedure for requesting medical approval carefully.
The use of an approved POC for travel requires a 48 hour advance notice prior to departure, regardless of destination (including itineraries between Canada and the United States). Air Canada will also make a reasonable effort to accommodate reservations made within this time frame.
"Medipaks" of oxygen for customers with respiratory conditions are available at an extra charge with a 48 hour advance notice prior to departure (72 hours for certain destinations). Please contact Air Canada Reservations directly.
|
| Needle Disposal |
Passengers needing to dispose of a used syringe while onboard the aircraft are required to advise a member of the cabin crew. A sharps/syringe disposal container will then be made available to the passenger for safe disposal. Seat pockets must not be used to dispose of used syringes. |
| Safety briefing in alternate format |
In addition to an individual safety briefing provided by a crew member prior to flight departure, flight attendants on all aircraft will also offer Braille and large print safety cards for passengers who are blind or have a visual impairment. |
| Passenger lifts |
A passenger access lift available at certain airports allows customers in wheelchairs to safely board smaller connector aircraft. |
| TDD - Reservations |
If you have a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TDD), in Canada and the United States call 1-800-361-8071 toll free. |
| Service animals |
Certified, professionally trained service animals which are assisting customers with disabilities are carried, free of charge, in the passenger cabin at the customer's feet. See the Travelling with your pet page for more details.
View specific information for itineraries between Canada and the United States. |
| Special meals |
Air Canada offers specially prepared meals, available on 24 hours’ notice. If requested, flight attendants may assist by opening packaging, identifying items and cutting food. Please view the Special meals page for more information. |
| Stretcher service |
In view of the limited demand for stretcher services, Air Canada no longer accepts stretcher bookings. Requests for this special service will be referred to government approved air ambulance operators. |
| Washrooms on board |
Most aircraft have facilities which are accessible to customers with disabilities. Door handles, grab bars, soap dispensers, faucets, flush controls and call buttons are designed to be operable with minimal single effort. Washrooms on some aircraft are fully accessible to passengers using the on-board wheelchair. See our Fleet page for more information. |
| Wheelchairs on board |
All Air Canada flights have an on-board wheelchair which can be used to move around the cabin if required. Wet cell and dry cell battery operated wheelchairs may be unacceptable on code-share flights (not operated by Air Canada). See our Fleet page for more information. |
| Personalized computer profile |
Frequent travellers who have a permanent medical condition (e.g. paraplegia) and who require medical approval prior to air travel will appreciate this special feature. One call to the Air Canada Medical Assistance desk will eliminate the need for medical approval each time you fly. |
| Visually Impaired |
In addition to the special services outlined above, cabin crew will provide visually impaired customers with special attention, even if they are accompanied by an attendant and/or a service animal. The crew will:
- Make periodic inquiries about the passenger's needs and attend to them
- Assist in unwrapping foods and beverages, describe the food and its location on the tray
- Accompany the passenger between his/her seat and the lavatory
|
Complaints or Concerns
If you have a complaint or concern with our personnel about discrimination, accommodations, or services with respect to passengers with a disability that has not been resolved by our personnel to your satisfaction, please ask one of airport agents to put you in contact with a Complaint Resolution Official (CRO), or contact Air Canada Reservations for assistance.
Our CROs have been specially trained and are aware of applicable Canadian and U.S. air transportation disability regulations, and will be glad to respond to your complaint within 30 days, or take whatever action they deem is necessary.
Our CROs are available by phone at all airport locations, at no cost.
|
