Flydubai Wheelchair Assistance

Flydubai, one of the largest airlines in the UAE that serves the budget segment, is committed to providing air travel convenient, secure, and cozy for every passenger. Whether you are making a short flight from one region to another in the Middle East or traveling to one of the many international destinations of Flydubai, the airline guarantees care and help to travelers with different restrictions of mobility restrictions. 

By utilizing Flydubai Airlines’ wheelchair assistance and their special assistance programs, patrons can be sure to receive ultra-personalized care during their travel, starting with the welcoming and boarding process and ending with arrival and disembarkation. This guide contains all the necessary information about Flydubai Airlines’ special assistance, including wheelchair assistance, to facilitate a comfortable, respectful, and stress-free flying experience with Flydubai.

Flydubai Airlines Wheelchair Assistance: Your Comprehensive Guide to Accessible Travel

The Flydubai Airlines wheelchair assistance services are comprehensive and customized according to your personal needs, which will make your travel comfortable from start to finish.

Wheelchair Assistance at the Airport

Flydubai offers wheelchair support services of three different levels depending on your mobility status:

• WCHR | Wheelchair to the ramp:
  • Level of Mobility: Passengers can access stairs and move around unassisted. They can also meet their own needs during the flight without the help of others.
  • Assistance Provided: Assistance is offered up to the aircraft’s ramp.
• WCHS | Wheelchair up the stairs:
  • Level of Mobility: The travelers are unable to walk up or down the flight of stairs but can walk around the cabin unaccompanied. They can also take care of their own needs onboard, sans assistance.
  • Assistance Provided: Assistance is provided up to the aircraft door.
• WCHC | Wheelchair to the cabin seat:
  • Level of Mobility: The passenger can be entirely incapable of moving around the aircraft cabin or looking after themselves during the flight without support.
  • Assistance Provided: The service is directly extended to the passenger’s seat while on the aircraft.

How to Request Wheelchair Assistance At Flydubai 

• To confirm the availability of the wheelchair service and arrange it at the airport,  it is crucial to request it at least 24 hours prior to your flight’s departure, as well as online check-in.
• You can seek wheelchair assistance in the following ways:
  • Customer Centre: You may call (+971) 600 – 54 – 44 – 45.
  • Flydubai Travel Shop: Visit one of the Flydubai Travel Shops.

Important Considerations Before Your Flight

Here are things you need to keep in mind regarding Flydubai’s wheelchair assistance services: 

• Arrival Time: Travelers must arrive at the airport three hours before the time of their flight departure to carry out all the necessary arrangements during the process of a security check, as well as a check-in.
• Medical Documents: Remember to have appropriate medical records and the doctor’s recommendations in case you want to carry the medicine with you on the flight.
• Seating Requirements: Each mobility-impaired passenger must be allowed to use a regular aircraft seat, and the seat must be in the regular position during taxiing, take-off, and landing.
• Emergency Exit Rows: For safety concerns, individuals who need reduced mobility will not be able to book a seat in the emergency row.

Flying with Your Own Wheelchair or Mobility Aid

Flydubai is glad to take your wheelchair along with you at no extra cost in addition to your checked baggage allowance. If the wheelchair is a part of your sports equipment, communicate with the airlines to know how to handle the same. 

• Airport Handling: At the majority of airports, you can carry your wheelchair from the arrival gate to the departure gate, where it will be stored in the baggage hold and returned to you in the luggage claims area after reaching your destination.
• Weight & Dimensions: You can carry wheelchairs that weigh as much as 100 kg and have a size of 124 cm (Length) by 114 cm (Width) by 80 cm (Height) in both vertical and folded storage positions. If the wheelchair is over 100 kg or is non-standard, you have to ask Flydubai’s permission in advance. 
• Other Mobility Aids: The items on the list are examples of mobility devices or assistive devices that are permitted on board an aircraft, provided they comply with safety and security regulations and that they do not contain sharp edges or parts:
  • Canes (including forearm canes,  quad canes)
  • Crutches (including axillary underarm crutches and straight forearm crutches)
  • Walkers (knee walkers, rollators)

Stowage of Aids

For safety reasons, the cabin crew will keep your wheelchair in the overhead locker while the plane is in motion, taking off and landing. If the dimensions or weight of your device are larger than those allowed for hand luggage, it will be carried in the hold and will be considered as checked baggage.

Flying with a Battery-Powered Mobility Aid or Wheelchair

• In such cases, it is necessary to inform the airlines 48 hours before flight departure, and fill out the wheelchair assistance form, and send it through mail. 
• Usage Restriction: Electric or battery-powered wheelchairs are allowed only for those who have limited mobility.
• Battery Packaging & Safety Precautions: When packaging batteries, certain safety measures must be strictly followed:
  • The batteries must not be damaged or leaking.
  • When the batteries are untied or removed from the wheelchair, they should be covered in a wheelchair battery box (which is usually available with the wheelchair).
  • The battery box has to be leak-proof also resistant to the battery fluid. 
  • Batteries have to be safeguarded from activation and short circuits, and must be set upright in a battery box.
  • The wheelchair should not be powered or operated by any electrical connection to avoid any accidents during the flight.
  • Installed batteries should remain attached to your equipment securely. 

• Lithium or Lithium-Ion Battery Restrictions:
  • The battery mustn’t be more than 300 Wh.
  • If your device has two batteries, they shouldn’t be greater than 160 Wh.
  • Either a single spare battery not greater than 300 Wh or two extra batteries, each of which should be limited to 160 Wh. 

Traveling with a Battery-Powered Wheelchair with a Partner Airline

When you plan a trip that requires a change of flight with a flydubai partner company, ensure to inform the other airline about the power-driven or electric wheelchair. You should get a confirmation or guarantee that the wheelchair will be accommodated by the onward carrier. If such proof is not given, the wheelchair can be refused for transportation.

Transit/Stopover: You cannot collect your wheelchair when changing flights or at stopover airports. You should head to the baggage area to take back your wheelchair. You must ask for support from the affiliated carrier while in transit or at the layover point.

Onboard Wheelchairs For Flydubai

All flydubai aircraft have a foldable onboard wheelchair for the transportation of a passenger from a place of his/her seat to a washroom. The on-demand wheelchair service is available with the flight attendants; however, you need to be able to get in and out of the wheelchair and go to the washroom without staff assistance or with the help of your travel companion.

Flydubai Airlines Special Assistance: Guidelines for Pregnant Travelers

Every pregnant passenger on Flydubai Airlines can get special assistance according to the stage of the pregnancy and the number of babies expected, if it is one or more.

Traveling During Pregnancy

No medical certificate is needed to fly with Flydubai if you are pregnant for 28 weeks. However, if you are pregnant for longer than 28 weeks, you will need a medical certificate from your doctor or midwife.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of the guidelines:

Single Pregnancy

Pregnancy Stage	Medical Certificate Needed/Not Needed	Travel Status
Week 0 to end of Week 28	Not Needed	Permitted travel
From Week 29 to Week 36	Needed	Permitted travel
Week 37 and onwards	Travel not permissible	Denied travel

Multiple Pregnancies 

Stage of Pregnancy	Medical Certificate Required	Travel Status
Week 0 to end of Week 28	Not Needed	Allowed to travel
From Week 29 to 32	Needed	Allowed to travel
From Week 33 and onwards	Travel not permissible	Denied travel

• Medical Certificate Requirements

To be valid, your medical certificate must meet the following criteria:

• Pregnancy Details: Clearly express the exact number of weeks you are currently at and the expected day of your childbirth.
• Type of Pregnancy: Confirm if it is a single or multiple pregnancy.
• Health Confirmation: You have to make sure that the condition of your pregnancy is healthy and that you are fit to fly for your travel dates.
• Authentication: A medical professional has to sign and stamp it 
• Validity: The certificate is valid for 3 weeks from its date of issue.
• Format and Language: It is necessary that the statement is in English or Arabic and done on the prescribed flydubai Medical Certification form or the official clinic/hospital letterhead.

Important Note: Your medical certificate is the only document that will be accepted at the check-in desk. Unfortunately, you won’t be in a position to board the airplane if you fail to show the original certificate first.

Flydubai Special Assistance: Support for Intellectual and Non-Visible Disabilities

Flydubai is dedicated to implementing a compassionate and convenient journey for each traveler, whether they have intellectual, developmental, or other non-visible disabilities. The airlines understand that the requirements of every person are different, and they are ready to offer tailored assistance to Flydubai Airlines customers.

• Understanding Non-Visible Disabilities

Passengers with intellectual, developmental, or non-visible disabilities may require unique levels of support throughout their travel journey. Flydubai ensures you have a seamless flying experience from checking in at the airport up to reaching your destination. 

• Requesting Assistance

The airline’s team members provide you with the necessary support for a smooth journey. To take advantage of these services, notify the airlines at least 48 hours before your flight and seek appropriate assistance. This advance notice enables the airlines to make proper arrangements for you, allowing you to travel in comfort and safety.

• Requirement for a Travel Companion

For the safety and comfort of passengers and to ensure adherence to safety regulations, passengers requiring assistance due to an intellectual or non-visible disability must be accompanied by a travel companion at all times where:

• They can’t comprehend what the cabin crew is explaining and are unable to follow the safety rules properly. 
• They are unable to navigate safely around airport facilities or within the aircraft independently, or cannot evacuate themselves from the aircraft in an emergency.
• They need essential personal care, have to be administered with medicines, or need to be lifted from their seats. 

• Discreet Identification: The Sunflower Lanyard

Upon reaching the airport, you may wear a sunflower lanyard. This lanyard is a discreet way to let airport staff and employees know that you may need further help or understanding without having to talk to them about your situation.

Flydubai Airlines Special Assistance: Traveling with Your Service Animal

Flydubai is committed to supplying service animal support so that all users with their pets may feel comfortable and secure while on the journey. Flydubai Airlines recognizes the significance of these animals and has provided the passengers with the means for the transportation of these animals.

• Service Animal Travel Options

Your service animal may come with you on your Flydubai flight, as the airline provides choices for service animals to travel in the cabin or in the hold, depending on their type, and even their specific requirements. 

• For Cabin Travel 

Flydubai permits sighted dogs only. This facility is for visually impaired people who can travel with pets and may be restricted on certain itineraries.

• Cost: You don’t have to pay a fee. 
• Notice Period: A 72-hour notice is needed in advance of your flight departure for a seeing-eye dog to be in the cabin for travel.
• Documentation: Please make sure that you attach all the necessary supporting documents to your requirements when you inform the airlines about them.
• Onward Connections: If your current route has connections with other airlines, you must confirm with their respective airline companies whether your guide dog is allowed. In that case, you must have proof of such confirmation, upon request by flydubai.

Read Also: China Eastern Airlines Wheelchair Assistance

Flydubai Airlines Special Assistance: Traveling with Leg Brace/ Plaster Cast

Flydubai has the objective of guaranteeing a safe and easy travel experience to all passengers, including those who carry a plaster cast/leg brace. The Flydubai Airlines special assistance guidelines are elaborated to facilitate your flight preparation, and be aware of any requirements.

• Medical Certificate Requirements

You will need a medical certificate under the following circumstances:

• If your injury is fresh, not more than 48 hours from the date of travel, then it needs immobilization, like a plaster cast or a leg brace. You must obtain a doctor’s note certifying that the airline has no objections to your condition.

Also, for early injuries (in the last 48 hours), the plaster cast must have a split to make way for potential swelling. 

• When a Medical Certificate May Not Be Required
  • You may be able to travel without a medical certificate if:
  • Your plaster cast is more than 48 hours old.
  • You are able to maintain an upright posture during take off as well as landing
  • A safety assistant is always present on board and is ready to help, and most importantly, the person in need can help themselves even in an emergency. But if a person cannot travel without assistance, it is important to have someone with them who is familiar and competent.

• Conditions for Non-Acceptance

For reasons of security and health, it is not feasible for the airlines to accommodate clients with plaster casts or leg braces in the following cases:

• If both your legs are in a plaster cast.
• If you are unable to sit in an upright position for take-off and landing.
• If you need to have your legs elevated for the entire duration of the flight.
• If you find that your leg will not fit into the legroom of the travel class for which you have booked the ticket. 
• If your main concern here is the space that is available, you are kindly advised to approach the Customer Centre on the phone number +971 600 54 44 45 or via the Contact Us form.

Conclusion

Flydubai assures that flying is available for each and every passenger. Well-programmed Flydubai Airlines wheelchair assistance on the one hand and designed Flydubai Airlines special assistance services on the other ensure a journey that is free from stress, secure, and humane for passengers lacking mobility. You can assure that all the services requested by persons with disabilities will be attended to.

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