Flying with an injury? You can get help at the airport.

Publish date: 2024-07-27

If you’re injured and have to fly somewhere soon, you shouldn’t fret over your ability to move through an airport or a plane. There’s a whole network of services to support you, and some of them are about to get an upgrade.

I found out about these options in December, when I broke my pelvis and two ribs in a ski accident in Switzerland. I had no idea how I would fly from Zurich to Madrid two days after my crash — or whether I would even be able to. That’s when I found free services for people with injuries, which I could access by contacting the airport or the airline’s disability desk.

Most travelers with disabilities already know about these services, says Candy Harrington, editor of the accessible travel newsletter Emerging Horizons, “but passengers with an injury or a temporary disability may not be aware of them.”

What services do airports offer for travelers with injuries?

Wheelchairs: They’re generally available to anyone who feels they need one. You can request a wheelchair through your airline or airport when you arrive, but it’s better to contact the airline in advance to reserve one. If you’re making a connection, don’t forget to ask for a wheelchair at your connecting airport.
Early boarding and expedited screening: Most airports have a network of employees who can assist you to your gate, which includes getting you through security faster (and without you needing to stand up or move around too much). You can board the aircraft early, too — no platinum card required.
Seat upgrades: People with injuries can, under certain circumstances, get a better seat. For example, United Airlines says it may help you find a seat with more legroom within the same class of service if you call in advance. As a passenger with a heart condition, travel coach Francesca Elisabetta Owens says she rarely has to worry about a seat assignment. “I know that after booking my ticket, I can call the disability desk for the specific airline to upgrade me for free under certain conditions,” she says. It’s not an automatic upgrade to business or first class, she says, but she often gets into premium economy, which has a little more legroom.

What services are changing?

Last summer, the Transportation Department compiled a bill of rights for passengers with disabilities, reiterating a federal law requiring airlines and airports to offer assistance and accessible facilities.

Although the list didn’t include any new policy, airlines quickly agreed to redouble their efforts to ensure passenger accessibility. That included improving passenger transfers and the handling of personal mobility aids such as motorized wheelchairs, as well as providing better training for employees.

Those efforts are now underway — and long overdue, say disability advocates. Last month, for example, San Jose International received a roughly $11 million federal grant to make upgrades to the airport terminal and improvements to ensure that it complies with the Americans With Disabilities Act.

Disability-related complaints are on the rise. For the first nine months of 2022, the government reported 1,495 complaints about airline disability services, a 64 percent increase from that span in the previous year. American Airlines had the most complaints among domestic airlines (207) over that time, and Malaysia Airlines had the most for a foreign carrier (41).

How 3 travelers with disabilities or chronic illness navigate the world

Tips for flying with an injury

Give yourself extra time

As someone who usually travels without any disability, I have to admit: I was clueless about the facilities offered to people who are temporarily incapacitated.

My accident was a combination of risky behavior, bad luck and dreadful conditions. One minute I was making turns in the early-season snow, the next minute I was lying on a patch of ice, unable to move.

A helicopter airlifted me to Hospital Graubünden, where I underwent X-rays and CT scans. I didn’t have time to research airline disability policies. Fortunately, my college-age sons, who were traveling with me, took over and learned about the Zurich airport’s services for those with limited mobility.

Did I make it to Madrid? Just barely. I almost missed my train, and then, after scrambling to find a wheelchair and an elevator, I almost missed my flight. I learned an important lesson about traveling with an injury: You have to give yourself plenty of time. Even with all the assistance provided, you need at least an extra hour to get to your gate.

I fumbled around on my crutches during preboarding and almost fell a few times. A kind flight attendant helped me to my seat. Fortunately, we had asked for wheelchair assistance in Madrid when we landed. An airport employee took us to the curb and helped me into the car.

Experts say I was smart to fly out of a large airport. William Rankin, a Florida Institute of Technology professor of airport management, says bigger airports such as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International, Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County and Reagan National have more resources to help travelers.

“They can deliver services on a greater scale,” he says.

Smaller airports may have a limited number of wheelchairs or staff that is not adequately trained to assist disabled passengers.

More wheelchairs are being damaged on planes. Travelers want action.

Ask for more legroom

Three weeks after my trip to Spain, I boarded a flight for Buenos Aires, then later went back to the States. This time, I had no excuse for not preparing. I knew I could call Air Europa’s special services department to ask about an upgrade to premium economy, but I was still in denial about the seriousness of my injury. I didn’t need any special treatment, I thought.

But I did. On the 13-hour overnight flight to Argentina, my broken bones really started to hurt after a few hours of sitting. The same thing happened with the flight from Argentina back to the United States. I should have called United Airlines and asked for a seat with more room.

That’s Lesson 2 about traveling with an injury: Don’t be a hero. Let your airline know about your injury at least 48 hours before your flight. Ask for everything you might need: any openings for an upgrade, a wheelchair and wheelchair assistance.

Also, let the Transportation Security Administration know you’re coming. One common mistake that injured airline passengers make is overlooking security, says Heather Ansley, associate executive director of government relations at Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA). She recommends contacting TSA to let the agency know you’ll be coming through the screening area.

You can contact TSA Cares through an online form, or call 855-787-2227 to arrange assistance. PVA also publishes a checklist for traveling with mobility impairments.

Don’t forget the paperwork

The most important thing to remember about airport disability services in the United States is that you don’t have to prove you’re disabled.

“No proof, no doctor’s note,” Harrington says. “That’s important, because many people don’t avail themselves of the services available, because they don’t think they qualify.”

But that doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. When I showed up on crutches for my flight from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, Argentina, a ticket agent asked me for a “fit to fly” note from my doctor. She insisted that it had to be written specifically for that flight. I had a doctor’s note from my Swiss hospital written in German. I showed it to her, and after some negotiation, the airline ultimately allowed me to board. But gate agents can deny you boarding if you look too unwell to travel.

And here’s an insider tip: If you’ve purchased travel insurance, you should also review your policy before your flight. If you’re injured while traveling, the insurer may agree to provide a medical escort to accompany you on a commercial flight, says John Gobbels, chief operating officer of the air medical transport and travel security program Medjet. “You need to read your policy,” he says. “You may be covered.”

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