Divyangjan air travel: Have special service request codes, DGCA direct airlines

NEW DELHI: Airlines will now have to display special codes to ensure the right assistance can be booked for the travel of a person with reduced mobility or a divyangjan at the time of purchasing the ticket itself. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has amended its rules “to provide appropriate assistance to passengers with disabilities, medical conditions.”

Accordingly, airlines will have to display booking assistance codes or special service requests (SSRS) like WCHR (wheelchair ramp), WCHS (wheelchair stair), WCHC (wheelchair cabin), BLND (visually challenged), DEAF (hearing impaired) “as per international practice at the time of ticket booking on their websites,” says the amended rule.


While advance information of 48 hours is to be provided to airlines so that they can provide special assistance, they are supposed to “make all reasonable efforts” to do so in case of emergency travel. “To facilitate the timely provision of necessary assistance, passengers who have requested such support shall report to the airport sufficiently in advance of their scheduled departure time. Considering airport-specific constraints such as terminal layout, security procedures, and resource availability, airlines may prescribe a minimum reporting time to facilitate seamless assistance,” the amendment says.

“Once persons with disability (divyangjan) or reduced mobility report at the airport at designated reserved drop off point with valid booking and intention to travel, the airline shall provide assistance to meet their particular needs and ensure their seamless travel from the departure terminal of the departing airport upto the aircraft and at the end of the journey from the aircraft to the arrival terminal exit, without any additional expenses,” the changed clause reads,

“Passengers who intend to check-in with their own wheelchair shall be given the option of using a station/airport wheelchair. If the passengers prefer to use their own non-battery operated wheelchair, they shall be permitted to use it provided the wheelchair conforms to specifications.… In case, if passenger prefer to use their own battery operated wheelchair, they shall be permitted to use it provided the wheelchair conforms to specifications as per IATA's dangerous goods regulations or airline policy which are to be displayed on their websites. Such wheelchair shall be capable of manoeuvring through various areas of the airport, security hold and up to the aircraft, whereupon it may be stowed in a location that meets ICAO Technical Instructions for Dangerous Goods and type-design requirements (e.g., hold or compliant cabin stowage). At the time of disembarking, the passenger's wheelchair should be returned at the aircraft door wherever feasible to enable transfer from the seat directly into his/her own wheelchair.”

“Although the basic responsibility for providing wheelchairs is that of the airline operator as such requests are captured through the airline's booking and reservation systems. Further, airport operator shall provide, extra wheelchairs wherever required for the convenience of their passengers,” it says.

Select The Times of India as your preferred source on Google Search