Door to Door: a travel guide for disabled people

Going by air: Planning ahead

Planning ahead | Sources of information | Airline assistance | Travelling abroad with your assistance dog | Insurance | Getting to and from the airport | At the airport | Boarding the aircraft | On the aircraft | Aircraft seating | Aircraft toilets | Taking equipment with you | Help with costs

To be sure your journey goes as smoothly as possible you need to think about:

  • how you will get to and from the airport
  • any help you will need at the airport itself
  • assistance with getting on and off the plane
  • how you will cope on the flight itself
  • arrangements for any special equipment you wish to take with you
  • what assistance arrangements will be made to get you from the plane to the airport terminal at your destination airport
  • how do you get from the airport to your destination
  • what assistance will you need at the destination airport, for example with baggage reclaim

You will also need to think about all these arrangements for your return journey.

Note: Everyone needs a valid passport to travel abroad, but most airlines now require you to carry proof of identity containing a photograph for domestic flights as well. Passports and newer driving licences (which bear a photo of the holder) are acceptable but, for non-drivers who do not hold a passport, the UK Citizencard is another, cheaper form of identity acceptable to many airlines (This is NOT the Government's proposed new identity card, but is one issued by a not-for-profit organisation with Home Office and police backing for those who need to carry proof of identity or age). Details and application forms are available from: www.citizencard.com.

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