Special assistance is an all encompassing term airlines use for those who need extra help when travelling. This ranges from bringing various medical items on board, to full lift on and lift off wheelchair assistance.
People who need this are usually quite across all the things they need to do. Usually it requires some kind of form to be completed well in advance of travel and submitted to the airline. All well and good, but there is something that does catch some people out.
Special Assistance with Multiple Airlines
Itineraries with multiple carriers can be a little problematic. You would expect that all you would do is request the assistance with the airline you booked with. However, this is not always the case.
Passengers sometimes get caught out at the connecting airport. For example, your assistance from Frankfurt to New York on Lufthansa all works fine, but in New York at United you are denied boarding.
Just how you sometimes need to book and pay for seats with the separate airlines on your ticket, it is sometimes the same in this area. You are best to check the requirements with each airline before you fly.
Overall Thoughts
When you are planning to travel, you need to check all the rules with each airline you are flying. It is most important when it comes to something like special assistance, where it absolutely has to go right.
Luckily most airlines will have people who can assist you and get you on you way. However, it can result in a missed flight and huge amounts of added stress. If there is only one flight per day to where you’re going, it could cause a major dent in your travel plans.
Do you use special assistance when travelling? What have your experiences been like? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.
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Featured image by Marek Ślusarczyk via Wikimedia Commons.
