Passengers with a disability and passengers with reduced mobility
‘Persons with reduced mobility’ or ‘disabled persons’ are persons whose mobility when using transport is reduced due to any physical disability (sensory or locomotor, permanent or temporary). This also includes persons with an intellectual disability or impairment, or any other cause of disability, or age, and whose situation requires appropriate support and adaptation to the person’s particular needs of the services made available to all passengers.
Germania offers passengers with reduced mobility the support required to make their journey as pleasant and as comfortable as possible. Please inform us at the time of booking or at the latest by two working days before departure by telephone on+49 (0)30 522 808 266 or email: passage@germania.aero about your particular requirements, even if you are travelling with a companion.
In order to ensure the safety of passengers with reduced mobility as well as that of all other passengers, Germania is entitled to limit the number of persons with reduced mobility carried on each flight (Art. 4 Par.1 Regulation (EC) No. 1107/2006). The restriction is determined in particular by whether in the event of an emergency landing, sufficiently rapid evacuation of all passengers is guaranteed.
The extent of the disability, the aircraft used and the presence or absence of an able-bodied accompanying person on the flight are taken into consideration. The final decision concerning carriage rests with the captain.
Assistance at the airport of departure and destination
All EU airports offer assistance free of charge for disabled passengers and passengers with reduced mobility both upon departure and upon arrival. To enable us to organise the necessary support services in good time, passengers should register their particular requirements well in advance. Please inform us at the time of booking or at the latest by two working days before departure by telephone on+49 (0)30 522 808 266 or email: passage@germania.aero about your particular requirements, even if you are travelling with a companion. If you do not notify us in good time about the assistance you require, the service may not be available to you on time when you arrive at the airport and your travel plans may be disrupted.
Disabled passengers and passengers with reduced mobility are accompanied from the terminal and on to the aircraft. After landing they are again escorted from the aircraft and into the terminal. If required, wheelchairs will be provided free of charge. Information concerning special services offered at airports for passengers with reduced mobility is available on the Internet sites of the respective airports.
Carriage of mobility aids
Passengers’ own wheelchairs and other mobility aids are carried free of charge and in addition to their baggage allowance.
For reasons of space such items are carried in the cargo hold. Wheelchairs must therefore be checked in as special baggage and packed ready for carriage. Mobility aids will be returned to you at your destination, either at the aircraft or on the baggage carousel.
Battery-powered wheelchairs and other mobility aids can only be carried if the battery has a non-leaking dry or gel cell. The battery must be isolated and protected from short-circuiting as well as firmly secured to the wheelchair or mobility aid.
Wheelchairs or other battery-powered mobility aids with wet batteries come under the relevant regulations on dangerous goods and can therefore not be transported.
For reasons of safety and space, a claim to carriage exists only if the intended carriage of the mobility aid is registered at the latest two working days before departure stating the dimensions and weight by email to: passage@germania.aero, tel. +49 (0)30 522 808 266 or fax +49 (0)30 522 808 245 and confirmed by Germania in writing.
Seat reservation
Germania makes every effort to allocate seating in accordance with the requirements of each disabled passenger or of each passenger with reduced mobility, subject, however, to safety requirements and availability. Care must be taken, for example, not to impede the cabin crew in their duties, obstruct access to emergency equipment or hinder the evacuation of the aircraft in emergencies (JAR-OPS 1.260). In particular, regulations prohibit passengers with reduced mobility from being seated at emergency exit seats. This applies to both accompanied and unaccompanied passengers with reduced mobility.
Accompanying persons
In order to comply with applicable safety provisions determined in international, EU or national regulations, or the safety requirements of the German Federal Aviation Authority, Germania is entitled to require that a disabled passenger or passenger with reduced mobility who is not sufficiently self-reliant on board the aircraft must be accompanied by another person on the flight who is capable of providing the assistance required by the passenger concerned.
The accompanying person must not have reduced mobility, must be aged 16 or over and must not be accompanying any other passengers in need of assistance (e.g. an infant).
Persons accompanying such passengers are not entitled to carriage free of charge and must pay the full adult fare.
Passengers with category WCHS reduced mobility are recommended to travel with an able-bodied accompanying person. Passengers with category WCHC reduced mobility are recommended to travel with two able-bodied accompanying persons. Passengers who come under the categories BLIND or DEAF and BLIND are recommended to travel with an able-bodied accompanying person who may simultaneously accompany a second passenger with the same category of impairment.
Carriage with a certified guide dog (assistance dog)
Certified guide dogs may travel free of charge in the aircraft cabin with the disabled passenger.
The dog does not need to be accommodated in a pet carrier. The dog is, however, required to wear its guide dog harness and must travel with all documents necessary for the entry and departure of the certified guide dog (valid animal passport, vaccination and health certificates, etc.). Please note that carriage of any animals to the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta and Sweden is permitted only under compliance with very strict regulations.
For reasons of safety and space, a claim to carriage exists only if the intended carriage of the certified guide dog is registered at the time of booking and at the latest two working days before departure at passage@germania.aero, tel. +49 (0)30 522 808 266 or fax +49 (0)30 522 808 245 and confirmed by Germania in writing.
Carriage of medical equipment and supplies
For safety reasons, medical supplies, devices and medicaments must be registered (at the latest by two working days before departure on telephone +49 (0)30 522 808 266 or email: passage@germania.aero) and, following written confirmation, unless prohibited are transported in reasonable and customary quantities free of charge in the cargo hold unless they are permitted as hand or cabin baggage. We recommend packing medical equipment and supplies separately. Presentation of a medical certificate may be required.
Information in the event of denied boarding
If for reasons of safety it is not possible to carry a disabled/reduced mobility person, Germania will inform the person concerned of the reasons for the denial.
Manifest codes
Code Meaning
WCHR Passenger who can walk up and down stairs and
move about in an aircraft cabin, but who requires a wheelchair or other means for
transfers between the aircraft and the terminal, in the terminal itself and between arrival
and departure points in the terminal and on the city side of the terminal.
WCHS Passenger who cannot walk up or down stairs, but who can move about in an aircraft
cabin and requires a wheelchair to move between the aircraft and the terminal, in the
terminal and between arrival and departure points in the terminal.
WCHC Passenger who is completely immobile and who can move about only with the help of a
wheelchair or another means and who requires assistance at all times.
DEAF Passenger is hearing-impaired.
BLIND Visually impaired.
BLIND/DEAF Passenger who is both deaf and blind, who can only move around with the help of an
accompanying person.
MAAS Meet and assist. All other passengers who need special assistance, including the
intellectually impaired.
Date: 10 March 2010