Travelling is for everyone – our tips for an accessible and smooth journey
We want to offer everyone a smooth and comfortable journey with us. If you have specific needs due to a disability or medical condition, are travelling with an assistive device or need special assistance, here are some helpful tips to ensure a hassle-free flight experience.
Request assistance 48 hours before your flight
A smooth journey starts with good preparations. If you have a disability or need assistance, please let us know about your needs at least 48 hours prior to your flight departure, and we will help you with all the arrangements. You can do this through the special assistance form after you have booked your flight ticket.
With the special assistance form, you can tell us about the special attention you might need when travelling if you have a disability or illness, for example. You can also inform us about the details of your medical device.
After you have submitted the form, we will contact you as soon as possible. If you request wheelchair-related services or are travelling with an assistance or service dog, you can check the status of your request in Manage booking.
Assistance available at the airport
At all airports we operate in Finland and worldwide, complimentary assistance services are available from the airport entrance to the aircraft. Please let us know about your disability or need for assistance through the special assistance form 48 hours prior to your flight’s departure.
If you have pre-booked assistance, you’ll meet them at the airport either at the check-in desk or at one of the pick-up points marked with the international symbol of access.
If you wish for assistance before check-in, please arrive at the airport at least two hours before your flight departure. At Helsinki Airport, there are several pick-up points. You can check the pick-up points here.
If you need assistance only from the check-in onwards, we ask you to be there at least one hour before the check-in for your flight closes. At Helsinki Airport, our Special Assistance desk is at your service.
If you are using a wheelchair, at most airports you can choose to move from the check-in to your departure gate using your personal wheelchair or you can check in your wheelchair and borrow one to use at the airport. Read more about travelling with a wheelchair or mobility aid.
After the check-in, the assistance personnel will assist you through the security control to your departure gate and your seat in the aircraft if needed. You will board the aircraft among the first customers. In this way we can offer you a hassle-free start for your flight and our cabin crew can discuss your needs during the flight with you. If you’re heading to the gate on your own, please be at the gate well in advance before boarding starts to allow enough time for boarding.
Services on board
Our cabin crew on board strives to ensure a pleasant journey for all passengers. Feel free to approach them with any questions or concerns during the flight. While they can’t provide personal assistance in activities such as using the lavatory or eating, they are more than happy to assist with various other matters. For example, if you have a visual impairment or hearing defect, please let our cabin crew know so that they can provide you with the best possible service on board.
All our long-haul flights operated with Airbus A330-300 and A350-900 aircraft are equipped with a wheelchair for visiting the toilet. An onboard wheelchair is also available on our short-haul flights operated with Airbus A321, A320 and A319 aircraft but only on request. You can request an onboard wheelchair (WCOB) for your flight via the special assistance form by using the “Additional information” field.
Please note that you must be able to sit in your seat with the seatbelt fastened whenever the seatbelt sign is on. If necessary due to medical reasons, you can use a five-point harness, which is a flight-certified safety device. Please confirm the suitability of your assistive device with us through the assistance request form at the latest 48 hours before the start of your trip.
For safety reasons, it’s important to note that customers with reduced mobility can’t sit in an exit row, as sitting there requires you to be able to help our cabin crew and, for example, open the aircraft door if needed. And due to safety reasons, passengers with reduced mobility using an aisle wheelchair to board the aircraft will be seated by the window.
If you require assistance during the journey, we will ensure that your accompanying travel companion is seated next to you. You are welcome to bring support items such as a cushion for your wheelchair seat or other pillows, blankets, or similar aids to enhance your seating comfort. All our aircraft have seats with foldable armrests between them, which facilitates easier transfer to the seat.
Travelling with a medical device
You can bring your necessary assistive devices or mobility aids, such as personal oxygen concentrators (POC), apnea breathing devices (CPAP), canes or elbow crutches, into the cabin with you in addition to the carry-on baggage allowance included in your ticket. However, it's important to note that this allowance is only meant for the assistive device and does not extend to additional baggage.
If you need to use your medical device during the flight, please inform us by filling in the special assistance form at the latest 48 hours before the start of your trip. If you do not need to use an apnea breathing device (CPAP), no prior notification is required.
Most CPAP machines require a medical inverter to be installed to function properly onboard. All aircraft types do not have an inverter facility, but we can check the availability approx. 72 hours before departure. The inverter can be requested for long-haul flights with no additional charge for the passenger.
Power supply onboard cannot be guaranteed, so you must be able to get by even without your breathing device if required. For battery-operated devices, please carry a sufficient back-up battery supply to cover a minimum of 150% of the planned flight (including transiting time).
After the flight
After the flight, the assistance service is available for you also at your transfer or destination airport.
The assistant will meet you at the aircraft and help you to move from your seat or the aircraft door to the wheelchair. To ensure we can help you with no hassle, we let other customers deboard the aircraft first.
If you have a connecting flight, the assistant will escort you all the way to your next flight. When you arrive at your destination, the assistant will take you through the arrivals hall to your next mode of transportation.