Traveling with wheelchair in China can be frustrating. Nevertheless, the 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics were significantly benefit the accessibility in China. And the accessible infrastructure is still being improved. With some preparation, wheelchair users are able to accomplish a safe and enjoyable journey in China - whether you’re doing an airline travel or a high speed train travel.
Read this article, based on the experience of a disabled traveler who has taken dozens of flights in seven years with an electric wheelchair, which sums up some practical tips for travelers who will fly with a power wheelchair in China. Furthermore, we have collected feedback from other international wheelchair clients over the years, as well as the policies of various domestic airlines regarding how to fly with a wheelchair. With the useful advice, you can make your air travel in China as smooth as possible.
Can I take my wheelchair on a plane in China?
Yes, a disabled passenger can take his/her wheelchair into the plane, but he/she need apply for the service ahead of time. Different airlines have different standards for carrying electric wheelchairs on airplanes, and even in the same airline, there is often no uniform standard.
What kind of service needed for passengers flying with electric wheelchairs?
Understand the process - how wheelchair users get on a plane.
1. When applying for wheelchair service when booking tickets, you should generally note the type and size of wheelchair you use. Since electric wheelchairs will be checked as luggage, there are certain requirements on the size and weight of the checked electric wheelchairs. For safety reasons, you also need to know the battery information (most airlines currently prohibit electric wheelchairs from getting on an airplane if their battery capacity is above 160Wh) in case they catch fire or explode. However, not all airlines in China can let passengers apply for wheelchair service during the booking process, and if the wheelchair option is not found in the booking system, they need to make a phone call to make a reservation.
2. Arrive at the airport at least two hours in advance and check in. Generally, foreign airports have a wheelchair passenger service desk, while in China wheelchair users usually check in at the business class counter. At this time, the staff of the service desk will check the medical equipment the passengers are carrying, handle the electric wheelchair consignment, and ask whether they need a wheelchair in the cabin, and then contact the ground staff to change for an airport wheelchair. Check-in can be a hassle if wheelchair services are not booked in advance.
3. The ground crew will be responsible for transporting wheelchair passengers to the boarding gate and arranging priority boarding.
4. Passenger need to change for an in-flight wheelchair at the cabin door. In-flight wheelchair is usually placed inside the aircraft and is also required if the passenger need to use the bathroom during the flight.
5. Moving a passenger from a wheelchair to a seat requires the assistance of two staff members, one who holds the passenger's calves in front and the other who puts his hands under the passenger's armpits in the back, then holds the passenger's arms back to avoid touching sensitive areas such as the chest. It also makes it easier to move passengers to their seats.
6. Wheelchair passengers have to wait until the last person to get off the plane. It is also necessary for staff to move passengers to wheelchair in the cabin and then change them to airport wheelchairs at the cabin door. The ground crew then takes the passenger to his/her own wheelchair.
Note: If the plane is not parked at the gate and a shuttle bus is needed to reach it, the ground crew will need to arrange a wheelchair-only shuttle bus to take passengers on board. Special equipment is also needed to transport the motorized wheelchair into the baggage compartment. However, many airports in China's second - and third-tier cities, such as Nanjing Lukou Airport, there may be not such facilities. Then the passenger has to discuss with the crew and find a solution.
Comparison between the airline wheelchair service in developed countries and in China
To avoid the problem of disabled passengers not being able to get off the plane, the American solution is to provide the best possible facilities for wheelchair passengers to board and disembark the plane. In addition, service industries in Europe and the United States invite professionals to train employees on how to properly treat disabled guests and raise their awareness of disability rights. In China, in addition to the backward facilities, the biggest problem is the lack of awareness of the equal rights and interests of the disabled.
A Chinese wheelchair lady living in San Francisco said, "I think the difference between flying abroad and flying in China is that when you check in in China, you have to constantly talk to the staff and remind them, so that they know what to do. My experience is to go to the airport one hour earlier, and tell the counter staff what wheelchair I want and what help I need, then relevant staff will give me appropriate resources."
>> Related reading: How to Use the Subway in China with a Wheelchair
Do airlines in China charge extra for wheelchairs?
From the perspective of disability rights and anti-discrimination, airlines and airports are obliged to provide reasonable facilities for passengers with disabilities without charging fees. In China, airlines also offer this special service for free. For instance, for passengers who must use wheelchairs for mobility, Hainan Airlines allows them to have an additional free checked baggage allowance, in addition to the regular free baggage limit. For passengers who do not necessarily rely on wheelchairs for mobility, if the excess baggage exceeds the free checked baggage limit, the excess baggage charges will apply.
But there was a story happened to our guest who shared his experience in this article. He had a problem flying with Scoot, a Singaporean low-cost airline, from Singapore back to Nanjing.
“First I went to board the plane early in the morning only to be told it would be six hours late.” He said, “When checking in, the staff asked me to remove the battery of the electric wheelchair before I could check in. However, the battery of my wheelchair is fixed and installed in the wheelchair. I told them my wheelchair couldn't be removed, and I didn’t know how to remove. Also I told them that the wheelchair was sophisticated medical equipment, very expensive. It may cause damage if a non-professional person attempted to dismantle. And if so I would have the right to claim. Earlier, I had turned off the battery and flown in from Barcelona with no problem. However, the Scoot staff threatened that if I didn't let them touch the wheelchair, I would never get on the plane, and they wouldn't be responsible for the damage to my wheelchair. It was an affront to my dignity! But in order to get on the plane, I had to give in and let Scoot staff take apart the back cover of my wheelchair. What was worse – Scoot charged me extra fee – 37USD for service fee and another 132USD for cabin wheelchair.” “By far, I've never come across anything like it in any other country or in China.” Our guest concludes.
Above is the experience of a disabled person flying with an electric wheelchair in China and other counties, with very useful tips and advice, hoping to be helpful to other people who will take air travel in China with power wheelchair.
>> See our recommended guided accessible China tours for people with disabilities
Wheelchair assistance provided by major domestic airlines in China
This includes Air China, China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, and China Southern Airlines, which offer wheelchair passenger services, including ground wheelchairs, boarding wheelchairs, and in-flight wheelchairs. Please review the key information of each airline's wheelchair assistance services below:
Air China
On actual operated flights departing from or arriving at Beijing, Chengdu, Hangzhou, Tianjin, Chongqing, Shanghai, Wuhan, Guangzhou, Dalian, Hohhot, Urumqi, Guiyang, Lhasa, Wenzhou, Kunming, and Shenyang, in-flight wheelchair services are provided for passengers without independent mobility to assist them in moving into or out of their seats, traveling to and from the lavatory, etc.
To book ground wheelchair service, boarding wheelchair service, or in-flight wheelchair service, please make the reservation no later than 16:00 on the day before the flight departure.
Wheelchair assistance will be arranged for passengers applying for the service at locations close to emergency evacuation doors and close to flight attendants or lavatories.
Passengers aged 65 or above with limited mobility can also apply for wheelchair assistance.
China Eastern Airlines
Ground wheelchairs and apron wheelchairs: Must be reserved 24 hours (inclusive) before the flight departure.
Cabin wheelchairs and checked electric wheelchairs: Must be reserved 48 hours (inclusive) before the flight departure.
If you wish to apply for services for a group of disabled passengers (more than 10 people), please make the request no later than 48 hours before the scheduled departure of the flight. China Eastern Airlines will reply within 24 hours as to whether the service you requested can be provided.
Hainan Airlines
If you require ground wheelchair service, it is recommended that you make the request when purchasing the ticket.
For passengers who apply for it on the spot, Hainan Airlines will give priority to ensuring wheelchair passengers without self-care ability (WCHC) and semi-self-care ability (WCHS). For wheelchair passengers with self-care ability (WCHR), if there is insufficient ground support resources, wheelchair service may not be provided in time.
Manual wheelchairs cannot be placed in the aircraft cabin. For the wheelchairs you bring yourself, you need to check them in.
If you need to check in an electric wheelchair, you must apply no later than 48 hours before the scheduled departure of the flight.
China Southern Airlines
South China Airlines has provided wheelchairs at every airport. If you need this service, please apply 24 hours (inclusive) before your flight departure.
The use of passenger stairs, wheelchairs and in-flight wheelchairs should be requested 48 hours (inclusive) before the flight departure.
The number of passengers using in-flight wheelchairs should not exceed 2.
Passengers bringing their own electric wheelchairs need to be checked in. Please make the request when booking and no later than 72 hours before the departure time of the flight.
What are the accessible facilities available in China’s airports?
Take Beijing Daxing Airport as an example (but not all airports can meet this standard):
- There are 14 accessible parking spaces on both the departure and arrival floors, ingeniously combining with the design of the ground ramps;
- Inside the terminal building, there are dedicated information desks; they provide special "love bracelets", and will enjoy the active assistance of staff as well as the green channel service throughout the process (from check-in, luggage handling and security check);
- The building is equipped with accessible passages, rest areas, accessible ramps, accessible bathrooms and elevators;
- In the concourse area, there are low-height charging counters, and also provides a free wheelchair self-borrowing point;
Can the folding manual wheelchair be taken on the plane?
Major airlines in China allow it. Air China stipulates that wheelchairs with a folded size of ≤ 33cm × 91cm × 106cm can be brought into the cabin, but only 2-3 slots are available per flight. Other airlines such as China Southern and China Eastern adopt a "first come, first served" principle. It is recommended to reserve the slot on the official website 48 hours in advance.
For passengers who bring their own folding wheelchairs and there is no storage facility or space in the cabin, China Southern will handle the free check-in for them.
Further reading: