Handling of pregnant women, passengers with disabilities and passengers with reduced mobility

Pregnant women, new mothers, and infants

Expectant mothers are not recommended to fly after the 28th week of pregnancy but will be carried up to the 34th week of pregnancy provided that they can produce a medical certificate from their doctor stating that they are fit to travel.

New mothers are not expected to travel within 7 days of giving birth. They may be accepted for travel if they are accompanied by a medically qualified person.

Infants are not accepted for travel within the first 7 days of birth.

Our company pays great attention to passengers with physical disabilities (permanent or temporary), intellectual disability or impairment, passengers with reduced mobility whether caused by other class of disability, or age and whose situation needs appropriate attention and adaptation to his or her particular needs of the service offered to all passengers, on our flights.

How to organize a trip

  1. Book an air ticket by any convenient means: on the website www.cyprusairways.com, or by calling the Contact Center.
  2. Read the information on the services provided at the airport and onboard the aircraft and rules of registration of individual wheelchairs.
  3. Inform our company or a representative or the travel agent of your need for assistance and of your disability, moreover specify dimensions, weight and other characteristics of your individual wheelchair to be transported. To do this you should complete an application form for special services and send it using the necessary arrangement request, at least 48 hours prior departure.

List of services provided at the airport

Airport operators provide following free services to passengers with disabilities and physical dysfunction:

  • Escort and assistance in moving within the airport (including points of embarkation or disembarkation of passengers) and baggage check-in, security check, customs and other types of control at the airport as required by laws, baggage claim on the arrival of the aircraft.
  • Provision of wheelchairs enabling the passengers to move within the airport.
  • Interpretation of audio and visual information, which is to be provided to passengers with disabilities and passengers with reduced mobility for information purposes
  • Assistance in boarding and getting off the aircraft, including with the use of a special elevating machine (ambulift), of the passenger, who is unable to walk unassisted, including escort and assistance in carrying personal items of such passenger on board.
  • Priority aircraft boarding and escort to a passenger seat.
  • Personal meeting of passengers by representatives of a service organization at the airport of destination, escort, and assistance in moving in the airport building.
  • Provision of a wheelchair for temporary use to the passenger, in case of delay of transportation of the passenger’s special wheelchair to the airport of destination or transfer airport, or in case of loss or damage (deterioration) of such wheelchair during air transportation.
  • Assistance in guide-dog walking for hard of hearing and blind passengers.
  • Personal meeting of a passenger at the airport of destination.

List of services provided on board the aircraft

Following free services shall be provided to passengers with disabilities and reduced mobility onboard:

  • Familiarization of passengers with rules of conduct on board the aircraft and other actual information in a form understandable for them.
  • Assistance in stowing of the passenger’s carry-on baggage onboard.

Rules of transportation of passengers using wheelchairs

Passengers with disabilities or reduced mobility using wheelchairs may take flights with accompanying persons or unaccompanied:

Categories of wheelchairs assistance:

  1. WCHR: Assistance from/to the aircraft is necessary - May travel without an assisting person
  2. WCHS: Passenger cannot walk up or down the aircraft stairs but can walk in the cabin of the aircraft – May travel without an assisting person
  3. WCHC: Passenger cannot walk or stand and will be accompanied to and from his cabin seat – Passenger shall be accompanied by one assisting person

Wheelchairs shall be transported for free in addition to free baggage allowance. Wheelchair shall be transported in a baggage compartment. The passenger may use his/her own wheelchair up to boarding gates (except electric wheelchairs) or check it if already at a check-in counter. In this case, the passenger will be brought to the aircraft on a wheelchair provided by the airport. Wheelchair shall be returned to the passenger immediately after leaving the aircraft or in the baggage claim area, in which case the disabled passenger will be brought to the baggage claim area on a wheelchair provided by the airport.

Rules of transportation of electric wheelchairs

Wheelchairs, which are put into operation with non-spill liquid batteries, may be transported only in aircraft baggage compartments. Such wheelchairs shall be checked in during check-in for the flight. In this case, the passenger will be brought to the aircraft on a wheelchair provided by the airport.

In accordance with security rules, the electrical battery shall be disconnected, and the battery terminal shall be isolated during transportation to avoid accidental short circuits.

Wheelchair battery terminal shall be disconnected/connected by the passenger independently, or upon request for assistance by representatives of a service organization. The passenger shall have a set of keys/tools for wheelchair battery terminal disconnection, and an electrical battery package in conformity with ICAO Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air.

Wheelchairs, which are put into operation with lithium-ion batteries, shall be transported only as checked-in baggage, moreover, the battery terminal shall be protected from accidental short circuit, and the battery shall be securely fastened to the wheelchair. If the design of wheelchair especially allows removal of the battery by the user (e.g. folding wheelchair design), the battery shall be removed and transported in the cabin, provided that the battery terminal is protected from accidental short circuit, the battery is protected from damage, and the battery power capacity does not exceed 300 Wh. The passenger may transport in the cabin only one spare battery with power capacity not exceeding 300 Wh, or two spare batteries with power capacity not exceeding 160 Wh each. In case of transportation of batteries in the cabin, such batteries shall be stowed under the seat in front.

The passenger should also know the wheelchair weight and specify it to the agent during check-in.

Transportation of hard of hearing passengers

The passenger with the hearing disorder may take flight accompanied by accompanying persons or a guide-dog, or unaccompanied.

Transportation of blind passengers

The passenger with sight disability may take flights accompanied by accompanying persons or a guide-dog, or unaccompanied.

Rules of transportation of a guide-dog

A guide-dog may be transported for free in the aircraft cabin subject to provision of a certificate confirming special training of such dog.

As regards the documentation needed for the air carriage of the guide dog please contact the Veterinary Services (Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and the Environment) of the Republic of Cyprus to ensure that you meet the requirements that apply to your case.

Prior to check-in for the flight, the dog shall pass through check of the Veterinary Check Service of the airport of departure, and the passenger shall present all documents indicated by the Veterinary Services.

In the airport building and aircraft cabin, the dog should be in a muzzle and on a leash. In the cabin, the dog shall be tied to the seat at the master’s feet.

Handling of passengers who are seriously ill and who may need in-flight medical attention

Seriously ill passengers suffering from an acute or unstable medical condition or passengers with a chronic and stable medical condition are required to receive medical clearance by our company before they complete the purchase of their air transport ticket. Seriously ill passengers are requested to contact our Contact Centre to determine whether they should be granted a MEDIF or any other certificate in order to be acceptable for carriage on board the aircraft. If a medical clearance is needed the facilities and personalized care to be offered to the passenger shall be agreed upon with the airline not later than 72 hours prior to the flight departure. The person accompanying a seriously ill passenger shall have everything necessary for proper care for the passenger and shall provide care for the passenger in all respects, including pharmaceutical drugs and other items may be needed.

Without prejudice to the requirements in the paragraph above, our company reserves the right not to issue air transport tickets to passengers on stretchers.

No oxygen cylinders can be transported onboard.

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