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Passengers with special requirements
Barrier-free travel
For more information contact Iberia Bookings Centre in your country
Passenger accessibility
Having air transport available is a right for individuals with disabilities and an obligation for airline companies to their customers. In Iberia, with the collaboration of individual country's Airport departments, we have revised processes to make your travels easier and we work daily on designing more accessible airplanes and specific procedures adapted to your needs. It is our great pleasure to constantly learn to better offer you the safe and comfortable journey that you deserve.
- Aircraft accessibility.
- Appropriate and specific measures and procedures for each case.
- Specialised personnel with continued training processes.
Passengers with Reduced Mobility (PRM)
In air transport, current legislation defines a person with a disability or a Passenger with Reduced Mobility (PRM) as "any person whose mobility when using transport is reduced due to any physical disability (sensory or locomotor, permanent or temporary), intellectual disability or impairment, or any other cause of disability, or age, and whose situation needs appropriate attention and the adaptation to his or her particular needs of the service made available to all passenger" (art. 2 of EC Regulation 1107/06).
Travel without barriers: Iberia's commitment to individuals with disability
Offering air transport accessible to individuals with disabilities is an obligation for all airline companies. In Iberia we have made this a true service commitment and we have been adapting our airplanes and our processes to remove barriers and adapt to every need, closely following security regulations.
Transport limitation comes in a large part from the flight security regulations and protocols and, on occasions, the size and physical characteristics of the plane. This may make it difficult to offer optimal accessibility conditions to our clients with reduced mobility.
Our airplanes have appropriate accessibility conditions. Only in certain cases, and generally in regional aviation due to aircraft size, may limitations exist for the transport of support or aid equipment, such as stretchers or equipment too big to go in the cabin or in the hold.
You can expand the information on flying with your wheelchair in the section which gives more detail above, “Flying with Your Wheelchair”.
Certain disabilities also require special attention or medical service authorisation from the airline company, and must be managed – with utmost priority – before or at the time of making the reservation. These are security measurements which are established for specific cases and they form part of many others with which we protect the security of the flight and your security every day.
In very exceptional cases, we find ourselves required to establish transport limitations for passengers or even deny boarding if there is a risk to our other customers, the crew or the passenger.
In this section we will help you prepare your journey so that you enjoy your experience from the beginning to the end. Take these suggestions into account as the preparations will vary depending on your personal needs, in some cases requiring medical authorisation and/or accompaniment during your journey.
If you are travelling with a connection, you must select flights which allow a minimum of one and a half hours between the arrival of the first flight and the departure of the second.
Suggestions to help you get ready for your trip
Plan your trip in advance and take into account all your needs. Ask Serviberia , where they will inform you and manage any special service requests that you may have. Let our specialists advise you.
Check:
- If you will need medical authorisation to travel.
You need to obtain authorisation from Iberia Medical Service if your situation constitutes a medical condition which, either on the ground or onboard, requires special and specialised attention, like in the case of those who need:- Stretcher or incubator
- Oxygen with over 2L/minute flow
- Medical care during the flight
These medical cases are known as MEDA.
Anyone whose illness may be aggravated by or during the flight must also request Medical Service Authorisation. Let our team of specialists advise you.
Serviberia:
Rest of the world: Iberia Booking Centre in your country.
To transport dialysis equipment authorization is not needed, unless its use is necessary during the flight. However, CPAPs, oxygen concentrators, respiratory devices and other similar equipment must have Medical Service authorisation for their transport.
- You should present the report from your primary physician or consult them, which is highly recommendable when:
- You have recently suffered or currently suffer from a temporary or chronic illness related to cardiovascular or respiratory problems, severe anaemia, unstable diabetes or cancer.
- If you are taking immunodepressive medication or if, for any health reason, there are doubts about your current ability to travel.
- If you must travel with a companion who would collaborate with the crew in your evacuation in the unlikely case of an emergency situation.
Regarding the particular needs of assistance and care in each case, it is possible that a person is required to accompany you for your entire itinerary and, on very specific occasions, that healthcare personnel with training and capacity to evaluate the state of health at each moment, administer medication or apply the appropriate care is required.
In general, you must be accompanied when assistance is needed to perform any of the following actions:
- -Reach an emergency exit
- -Communicate in any form with the crew about safety
- -Unbuckle or buckle your seat belt.
- -Carry out basic physiological needs
- -Pull out and put on the life vest or oxygen mask
The person chosen to accompany the client, except in special cases, must be over 18 and be completely independent.
Serviberia:
Rest of the world: Iberia Booking Centre in your country.
The Iberia Medical Service is in charge of transport authorisation and assigning whether or not a companion is needed. Our team of specialists in aerial medicine will evaluate each particular situation and the requests that must be checked during booking. Serviberia in Spain or the Iberia Bookings Centre in your country will provide more information for you on this and much more.
- If you are older than 6 but are not yet an adult, you can fly without a companion*.
Our companion service for minors will give you support and ensure that everything goes as you planned at home. Your family can rest assured and you will enjoy your independence when travelling. Learn more on Serviberia*as long as you are not required to and have no physical impediment due to a disability or reduced mobility to participating in your own evacuation, if necessary, and/or understanding the security instructions of our agents or the crew.
CHECK TO SEE:
If you need medical authorisation
If this is a mandatory report from your physician.
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If you must be accompanied when traveling.
Consult Serviberia: and get ready!
Flying With your Wheelchair
Our policy is to try to place wheelchairs and other mobility assistive devices in the onboard containers and closets, but there are limitations on measurements and on the fleets on which they can be carried.
Below are the maximum dimensions of the onboard containers on the fleets
| Fleet | long | wide | high |
|---|---|---|---|
| medium and short haul (A319, A320, A321) | No closet | No closet | No closet |
| A330-300 | 91.44 cm (36 in) | 45.72 cm (36 in) | 106.60cm (42 in) |
| A340-600 | 91.44 cm (36 in) | 45.72 cm (18 in) | 106.60cm (42 in) |
| A340-300 | No closet | No closet | No closet |
There are no closets to carry wheelchairs onboard Iberia Regional Air Nostrum
flights, although they can be carried in the aircraft hold.
The only limit we have is the number of wheelchairs which can be carried in the hold:
In general, all three aircraft types can take:
- Electric wheelchairs- 1
- Manual wheelchairs- 9
In both cases it will depend on the chair measurements.
Special services for persons with disability or reduced mobility
- • Transfers and accompaniment in airports. Transit through airports on occasions requires walking long distances or walking through installations that you are unfamiliar with and which may tire and/or disorient you.
These circumstances are especially relevant for people with mobility problems, a physical disability – visual, for example –, an intellectual disability, illnesses related to memory or simply are older.
To break this barrier, airports have transfer and companion services which go from entering the terminal to the airplane seat, including the check-in, boarding and baggage drop-off and claim.
In the European Union, since EC Regulation 1107/2006 came into force, the service is offered by airport management. Outside the EU, airline companies are responsible for providing this service to their clients. Wherever you are, it is always free.
Also, with prior request and confirmation that the apparatus meets the necessary security standards, you can use your own personal oxygen concentrator (POC).
As such, for example, in addition to two pieces of luggage, you can travel with:
- -a dialysis machine not heavier than 50 kg*
- -up to two pieces of mobility equipment: wheelchairs, walker, etc.
- -respiratory devices, CPAP, oxygen concentrators
We have designed our operations so that people who need wheelchairs for their mobility have comfortable boarding access and have seats available in the shortest time possible.
In fact, on certain planes with the needed capacity, we transport some of the assistance and mobility equipment in the cabin, although this depends on the prior activity and/or characteristics of the equipment.
- manual chairs: In most airports, the wheelchair can be used up to the gate where it will be retrieved to prepare it for transport.
- electric chairs: Preparing these types of chairs depends on their battery:
- - wet cell batteries (spillable): Battery terminal connections must be detached to insulate and protect them.
- - dry cell batteries (non-spillable): In this type of chair, the battery can stay installed if it is solidly attached. There is also no need to disconnect the electrodes if these are insulated and with the interrupter in the off position.
In any case, we recommend that you go to the check-in counter two hours before the flight's departure time, which will give us enough time to ensure that your equipment is properly transferred. Please provide us a copy with the manufacturer's instructions, which will help us to do our job better, faster and with less risk.
The delivery of checked-in mobility and assistance equipment has priority over the rest of checked-in luggage on the flight. If there is an accident, we will immediately substitute the equipment until the problem has been solved.
Your personalised information on Serviberia:
We also welcome emotional support animals which can travel with you upon presentation of your medical certificate. To prevent any issues when boarding, provide Serviberia: > with this information ahead of time. If you want to travel to the United Kingdom with your guide dog or service animal, you have to go through a series of procedures. If you require further information, please consult Transporting Pets
Flights for all tastes
You can request different types of meals during the flight. If you are allergic to a particular food, you should call Serviberia: as we cannot guarantee its complete absence from food or that another food has been exposed to the product you have an allergy to during its preparation.
During booking: Design your travel plan and request appropriate assistance
The ideal moment to request any special service is when you make the booking. Serviberia o Iberia Booking Centre in your country. Our agents, advised by the Iberia Medical Service, will provide you the information that you need, book the most appropriate seat available and request any additional services needed.
- • We recommend that you request special assistance at least 48 hours before your flight's departure so you can rest assured that everything will be available upon your arrival.
- • Space out your connecting flights and pay attention to the time needed between the arrival and departure of your connecting flights. The times depend on many factors and generally you do not need the same time to connect between two domestic flights, for example, as you do for a domestic and an international one. Ensure that the connection is in the same airport as, in certain cities, there may be more than one airport. As a general rule, we suggest spacing out flights by at least one and a half hours, in order to ensure that you connect and enjoy total peace of mind throughout the journey.
At the airport
Within the European Union, assistance for passengers with Reduced Mobility begins from the passenger's arrival at the airport, where you must contact the office in charge of the assistance service.
Remember that with the implementation of European Union Regulation 1107/2006, ground assistance for Passengers with Reduced Mobility has become the responsibility of Airport Management or their delegated agents. In this way, airline companies need a short period of time to communicate the needs of our clients to the service manager.
They will be in charge of providing the necessary assistance, facilitating your transit throughout the airport and helping you with check-in process with us, among other services. We will be ready to offer you a differentiated priority boarding.
Before travelling we recommend that you learn more about the accessibility conditions of the airports you will visit, as well as how far in advance you should be at the airport as established by the respective Management.
As a general rule we recommend that you arrive at the airport two hours before the flight's scheduled departure. You will have priority boarding.
You can request this by calling Serviberia .
If you would like more information on what AENA (Spanish Airports and Aerial Navigation) offers, please read through this file:
Information on assistance to passengers with reduced mobility by AENA:
If you are going to travel to the United Kingdom, Heathrow airport's website has important information www.heathrowairport.com (only in English).
If your flight was operated by another airline company through codeshares, learn more about the other company's possible operating details, especially if this includes companies from outside the European Union.
Onboard
Our fleet is adapted to transport passengers with reduced mobility and, within the limits of size, the airplanes are prepared to adapt to more versatile forms of boarding and disembarking from the plane: by remote, by finger, through elevators or ambulift.
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Seats with folding armrests located in the aisles.
Wheelchairs onboard. On the airplanes and fleets big enough, a wheelchair is available onboard to make it easier to move about on the airplane for the passengers who need it.
Accessible bathrooms: Planes that cover longer hauls generally have adapted bathrooms with greater width for the service, comfort and independence of persons with reduced mobility. Ask our crew for its locations and request that they accompany you to and from your seat if needed.
You will normally find these services onboard Iberia airplanes. However, take into account that certain routes and destinations are performed in collaboration with other airlines, as such we recommend that you contact Serviberia or the Iberia Bookings Centre in your country to learn more about the specific options of the airplane model for your flight.
You can expand the information on flying with your wheelchair in the section which gives more detail above, “Flying with Your Wheelchair”.
Upon arrival
If your flight ends in an airport in the European Union and you requested the wheelchair transfer or accompaniment with sufficient advance notice, at your flight’s arrival the company providing the service will have received the information with your name, flight number and arrival time and a description of the kind of assistance needed.
Outside the EU, our personnel will provide the transfer assistance or accompaniment that you need.
The transfer service and accompaniment includes baggage pick-up.
Priority baggage delivery: Assistance and mobility aid equipment has priority over the rest of the transported equipment.
Application Regulations
Iberia is a European Community Airline Company with license issued in Spain, which is subject to European Union and Spanish regulations, national regulations and international treaties, as applicable, as well as regulations stipulated by international air transport organisations.
EC Regulation 1107/2006 on the European Parliament and Council on the rights of persons with disabilities or reduced mobility in air transport.
EC Regulation 8/2008 on EU OPS regulations, regulation OPS 1.260.
Law 51/2003, of December 2, on equality of opportunities, non-discrimination and accessibility for persons with disabilities.
Royal Decree 1544/2007, of November 23, which regulates basic accessibility conditions and non-discrimination for the access to and use of modes of transport for persons with disabilities.
Operating Memo 04/01 of the Civil Aviation Administration of Spain.
Resolution 700, and recommended practices 1700, 1700a, 1700c, 1700d and 1700e of the IATA.
International standard on the transportation of persons with reduced mobility
We want to ensure that your needs are understood and addressed and that your safety and dignity are respected.
ANNEXE (PMR)
The purpose of this document is to improve access to air travel for persons with reduced mobility, Aimed at airlines that provide services and facilities at airports and on aircraft, it offers guidelines for drawing up a voluntary code of conduct. This code should contemplate the stipulations approved in Document 30 (Section 5) of the European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC), as well as Annexe 9 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). These documents provide technical information and have been drawn up following consultation with the air transport industry and the government bodies responsible for establishing standards and recommended practices.
Definition
The term 'person with reduced mobility' (PMR) defines any person whose mobility is reduced when using transport due to any physical disability (sensory or locomotor), intellectual disability or impairment, or any other cause of disability, or age, and whose situation needs appropriate attention and the adaptation of the passenger services available to the needs of that person.
Basic Principles
- 1. PMRs have the same freedom of movement and freedom of choice rights as any other citizen. This applies to air travel as well as all other life situations.
- 2. Airlines, airports and the agents of related services have a responsibility to address PMRs' needs. Meanwhile, PMRs have a responsibility to specify their needs through the appropriate channels at the appropriate moment.
- 3. PMRs must be provided with the necessary information to be able to plan and undertake their journeys.
- 4. The costs derived from addressing PMRs' needs should not be passed directly to them.
- 5. Disability and illness should not be treated in the same way and consequently PMRs should not be made to declare their disabilities as a prerequisite to undertaking a journey.
- 6. Organisations that represent PMRs should be consulted about affairs related to addressing their needs.
- 7. Staff must be provided with adequate training to ensure that they can understand and address PMRs' needs.
- 8. All security controls must be undertaken in a way that respects PMRs' dignity.
- 9. PMRs should be permitted the highest possible degree of independence.
Airline Practices
No transport company may reject a PMR unless they cannot transport them safely, accommodate them physically or provide the specific services they require during the flight. If a PMR is refused transport, the airline responsible must clearly explain the reasons for its refusal.
PMR passengers who are not self-sufficient must always be accompanied. The airline cannot provide medical, hygienic or safety assistance on board the aircraft. For more information, please check with our Booking Department.
Airlines must try to identify technical and operational options to improve access and facilities on board aircraft of all sizes, especially when they undertake major refurbishments.
In cases where a PMR cannot be provided with a direct route (e.g. in the case of very small aircraft), airlines must strive to provide an acceptable alternative.
Irrespective of the size of the airport or aircraft, the boarding and disembarkation formalities must respect the PMRs' dignity.
Space permitting, airlines must provide on-board facilities that encourage the autonomy of PMRs while respecting health, hygienic and safety limits.
PMRs must be treated equally when assigning seats, notwithstanding the restrictions imposed by safety requirements. Airlines must clearly explain the reasons for not assigning a specific seat when safety conditions are not at stake.
Service dogs must be transported in the cabin in keeping with the airline regulations and national import regulations. They must also be transported free of charge. PMRs may not be charged for transporting basic objects that facilitate their mobility or any other essential aids in the case of disability.
Airlines must take all reasonable measures to avoid the loss or damage to objects that facilitate mobility and all other aids in cases of disability. Should loss or damage occur, airlines must make the necessary arrangements to satisfy immediate individual mobility needs.
Access to air travel for people with disabilities
Text of European Regulation 1107/2006: www.eur-lex.europa.eu / technical documentation / disability when travelling / regulations / 32006R1107
You can request a copy of Regulation 14CFR Part 382 from the United States Department of Transportation by:
Telephone
Calls within the USA: free line for airline passengers with disabilities on 1-800-778-4838, or integrated TTY call* on 1-800-455-9880.
Calls from outside the USA: Contact the Aviation Consumer Protection Division on (+1) 202-366-2220, or integrated TTY call* on (+) 1-202-366-0511.
Post
Aviation Consumer Protection Division
C-75, US Department of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE
West Building, Room W96-432
Washington, DC 20590
Online
Via the official website of the Department of Transportation through the following link: www.transportation.gov/airconsumer
TAKE NOTE:
Travel with peace of mind. Ensure that all the services you require are organised so that everything is ready for you and you can enjoy your flight worry-free.
- Request any special service that you may need at least 48 hours prior to the flight's scheduled departure.
- Go to the airport meeting point to contact the assistance service at least two hours before your flight's departure.
- When your trip includes one or more connecting flights, choose combinations with at least one and a half hour between arrival of the first flight and the departure of the next.
