Buckinghamshire planes

Air Advice Overview

Passengers with a disability or reduced mobility are legally entitled to support, commonly known as ‘Special Assistance’. Airports and airlines must provide help and assistance, which is free of charge and helps ensure you have a less stressful journey.

Special assistance is available to passengers who may need help to travel, such as older people, those with a physical disability, including wheelchair users, and those who experience difficulty with social interaction and communication, such as people with autism or dementia.

If you have a sensory, physical or learning disability which affects your mobility when using transport at UK airports, you have the right to assistance in the following areas:

• specific arrival points, such as terminal entrances, transport interchanges, car parks
• reaching and registration at check-in
• moving through the airport if you need it, including to toilets
• boarding and disembarking the plane
• transferring between flights

You also have the right to help because of your age or a temporary illness or injury. For example, if you have broken your leg and it is in a cast.

Passengers requiring special assistance should aim to give their airline 48 hours’ notice.

Key tips

• Research the individual airline and their accessibility provision, or call the Hub so they can assist you with this
• Never be afraid to ask for extra help at the airport
• Make sure you give the airport 48hrs notice of any help you need
• Arrive early, as it can take more time to get to your gate 
• Ensure you inform your airline of any mobility equipment you need to take on the plane

Nearest airports

Luton Airport

www.london-luton.co.uk

If you have any queries about travelling with restricted mobility and assistance requirements at Luton Airport, information is available on the London Luton Airport website.

Parking for Blue Badge holders

Blue Badge parking is available in all car parks. Disabled spaces cannot be booked. Blue Badge drop-off is available. Click for further information.

Check-in is on the ground floor. The departure lounge is on the first floor with an escalator and lift access. Accessible toilets are located on the main concourse and within the departure lounge.

Birmingham Airport

www.birminghamairport.co.uk

You should pre-book special assistance with your airline or tour operator at least 48 hours before departure or arrival at Birmingham Airport.

You should also tell your airline if you intend to take your own electric mobility aid.

To ensure there is enough time for you to complete all the necessary Airline and Security checks, it is recommended that passengers requiring assistance register at the Assisted Travel Help Desk no later than 3 hours before the scheduled departure time. The Assisted Travel Help Desk is located opposite the Spar shop, on the ground floor of the terminal building, next to check-in zone B.

Parking for Blue Badge holders

Blue Badge holders are entitled to up to 30 minutes free parking within the Premium Set Down car park, upon production of their Blue Badge and car parking ticket at the NCP Customer Service Desk. (Located in the Premium Set Down Car Park.)

Disabled parking is also available in Car Parks 1, 2, 3, 5 and the Free Drop Off/Set Down area.  Car parking is charged at the normal rates for these car parks.

Accessible Entry / Exit Barriers: Car parks 1, 2 and 5 have both manual ticket collection/deposit and Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems. If you have difficulty in collecting or depositing tickets from entry and exit barriers, it is recommended that you pre-book parking to make use of the full ANPR system. Using the ANPR system will automatically raise entry and exit barriers. https://www.birminghamairport.co.uk/airport-parking/

Heathrow Airport

www.heathrow.com

Information regarding travelling with reduced mobility and the assistance provision at Heathrow Airport, can be found here.

Parking for Blue Badge holders

Blue Badge parking is available in all car parks but cannot be booked. For assistance when you arrive at the car park, simply call one of these numbers. 

020 8757 2700 (Terminal 2, 3 & 4) and 020 8283 6415 (Terminal 5).

Drop-off areas are located right outside the terminal, which is the easiest and quickest way to drop-off passengers. (There is no dedicated Blue Badge drop off at Heathrow.)

 A £5 charge now applies at Heathrow every time a vehicle enters the terminal drop-off areas. (If you enter a drop-off area a second time, you will need to pay the charge again and every time after that.)

You can pay for a single drop-off or pre-pay for multiple drop-offs online or by phone. 

Please note that there is no option to pay at an airport ticket machine or in the terminal drop-off zones. You must not leave your vehicle unattended in the terminal drop-off areas. Vehicles left unattended will be removed by the police.

Special Assistance

If you require special assistance while at an airport you should inform your airline, tour operator or travel agent at least 48 hours before you fly. It is best to give as much notice as possible both for your outbound and return journeys so the necessary arrangements can be made to give you the assistance you require.

Your airline will pass on your special assistance booking prior to your arrival at the airport. If you arrive at the airport and have not booked in advance, all reasonable efforts will be made to assist you.

If you require assistance on arrival at the airport, you should locate the nearest call point to request assistance and you will be assisted to your chosen method of check-in. 

Travelling with mobility equipment

For passengers taking a mobility aid – such as a scooter or wheelchair – onto the aircraft, your airline must be advised in advance preferably at the time of booking. 

You should provide details to your airline, tour operator or travel agent which outline the dimension, weight, make and model of the mobility aid. You will be able to travel with your mobility aid from arrival at the airport up until the point of boarding the aircraft. 

The ground handling team will ensure your mobility aid is made safe for carriage on the plane and you or a person in your travelling party may be required to liaise with the team to ensure the mobility aid is immobilised.

You will be reunited with your mobility aid at the aircraft side after disembarking. In the unlikely event there is any damage to your mobility equipment, the Special Assistance team will make every effort to provide you with a temporary replacement.

Assistance Dogs

You may take your Assistance dog into the terminal with you. It is important to remember that guide dogs can only travel if they are registered with the Pet Travel Scheme and if allowed by your airline and holiday destination. For further information on travelling with an assistance dog, please visit the dedicated webpage on the Gov.uk website.