Book well in advance
It's important for us that you book your flight well in advance, i.e. at least 48 hours before departure, and tell us exactly what your needs are. Why?
- It allows us to put together a service package carefully tailored to your individual needs.
- We offer seat choice to the highest extent as possible, for flight safety reasons it might be restricted in defined rows (e.g. emergency exits).
- Some of the aisle seats on our aircraft are equipped with moveable armrests for your comfort. Ask for these seats at time of booking!
Tell us exactly what you need
Please don't forget to inform us on your needs:
- When booking by telephone, please notify our agent of your requirements.
- When booking by Internet you can request the required service online using the
"Services for Passengers with reduced mobility or sensory impairment" form.
- After booking you can always notify our Special Cases Desk:
Fax no.: +43 (0)5-1766-51043
E-mail: specialcases@austrian.com
Do you need any support during your journey?
If you have a chronic illness or disability, you do not need to present a doctor's certificate.
However, if you would like to request special medical assistance, please click "Medical clearance"
You will need to be accompanied, if you are unable
- to follow the safety instructions of our cabin crew independently or
- to assist in your own evacuation or
- if you need assistance in feeding or using the toilet.
You will find additional information "On board".
Travelling with your own wheelchair
Are you travelling with your own wheelchair, or would you like us to provide one for you?
If you are travelling with your own wheelchair, please notify us of its size and weight and any special features (e.g. folding/non-folding, sport/electric wheelchair). The transport of up to two pieces of mobility equipment (wheelchair, crutches, other mobility aids) per person with reduced mobility is free of charge.
If you are travelling with a battery-driven wheelchair, please give us prenotification at least 48 hours before departure and notify us of the type of battery:
- Non spillable batteries (gel and dry batteries) can remain in the wheelchair, but must be secured and disconnected and the poles must be isolated before boarding the aircraft.
- If your mobility aid is powered with lithium-ion batteries please provide us with a Material Safety Data Sheet issued by the battery manufacturer.
- For safety reasons, special packaging criteria apply to wet battery-driven wheelchairs, they may only be transported as cargo. Therefore transportation of wheelchairs with wet battery must be cleared in advance with Special Cases Desk: specialcases@austrian.com.
Battery powered mobility aids are subject to possible limitations of space in the cargo hold of the aircraft and must comply with the applicable dangerous goods legislation.
Degree of reduced mobility
Please let us know the extent to which your mobility is reduced.
There are three internationally recognised wheelchair categories to help you classify your degree of disability:
- WCHR – Wheelchair Ramp:
Guest only requires wheelchair to cover longer distances; able to climb stairs independently.
- WCHS – Wheelchair Steps:
Guest not able to climb stairs but can cover short distances on foot.
- WCHC – Wheelchair Cabin seat:
Guest requires wheelchair at all times, unable to move around the cabin without help from another person – own wheelchair carried with him/her at all times.
Assistance dogs
- are carried free of charge on Austrian Airlines
- may travel with you in the cabin but must be kept on a lead
- are restricted in size and weight due to safety reasons, therefore we ask for prenotification.
- proof of the animal's status as service animal must be given at Check-in.
Dogs are also accepted for therapy purposes in the passenger cabin under following conditions:
- they must be restrained during flight
- advance notification at least 48 hours before departure
- appropriate documentation issued by a licensed mental health professional confirming the animal's need of presence during the flight must be presented.
On our longhaul flights we have to place sanitary povisions, so we require a written documentation that the dog will not relieve itself respectively can relieve itself in a way that does not create a sanitation issue on the flight.
The general conditions for the transport of animals in cabin apply.
Passengers with impaired sensory perception
There are no restrictions applicable to hearing impaired and partially sighted passengers. You do not require a doctor's certificate.
An assistance service for blind and partially sighted passengers is provided free of charge. If you require assistance at the airport, please ask one of our ground staff.
If you are deaf and blind, you will need to be accompanied during the flight.
Hearing impaired/deaf passengers
Please notify us of your disability at time of booking so we can pass on the relevant information, especially to our cabin crew on board the aircraft.
Direct flights to /from U.S.A
Our special service concept complies with the regulation 14 CFR, DOT382.
Specially trained staff, Complaint Resolution Officials (CRO), are available at our destinations New York, Washington and Vienna.
CRO contacts:
Vienna:
Tel: +43 (0)5 1766 1000 (Callcenter connects you with a CRO)
New York, JFK and Washington, IAD:
Tel: +1 800-843-0002 (Callcenter)
Here the link to Aviation Consumer Protection Division: http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/
Our Fleet
Further Medical Questions