Special assistance

Arrival and departure assistance services are provided by the airport. The services they provide differ considerably by airport location. It’s important that you familiarise yourself with the services they provide to make sure your needs will be met. Please take a look the airport's website for up to date information.

Assistance may include help to:

• get from a designated meeting point in the departure airport;
• go through customs and security to the boarding gate;
• get on board the plane and into your seat;
• stow your cabin bag(s);
• get off the plane after landing;
• retrieve your luggage and any mobility equipment;
• take you to a meeting point in the arrival airport.

When you let us know us know you need special assistance, we pass this information to the airports you are flying in and out of as they provide the assistance locally. 

To ensure that you are given the best possible experience, we ask that you add your request at the time of booking on the passenger details. 

Alternatively, you can let us know at any time after your original booking by:

• logging into 'Manage Bookings' on easyJet.com and adding your requirements
• contacting our Special Assistance Team, with your booking reference number

However, please make sure you let us know your requirements at least 48 hours before the scheduled departure time of your flight.

What you'll need:

• Your Booking Reference
• Dates and destinations of your flights
• Your full name (as in the booking you have made)

If requesting assistance via email, please do so at least 14 days before your flight. We’ll ask you detailed questions about the assistance you need.

More information is available in ‘Additional information for those requiring special assistance’ below. You can also see what medical conditions you can fly with by looking at our medical information page.

If you’ve booked through a travel agent or third party you’ll be unable to request assistance online. Please contact our Special Assistance team who will be able to assist you.

If you have told us about your needs, we will select a suitable seat for you, free of charge. If you’d prefer to choose your own seat there are some restrictions on where you can sit.

See also: Choosing a seat

You may need to travel with a Companion (someone at least 16 years old, and physically able to help you in an emergency) for your own safety and that of fellow customers if you’re unable to do any of the following things:

• Understand the safety briefing
• Fasten and unfasten your seat belt
• Take out and put on your life jacket
• Leave your seat and get to an emergency exit
• Put on an oxygen mask
• Use the toilet on your own.

See also: Choosing a seat

If we ask you to bring a travel companion, we guarantee their seat will be the same price as yours, even if they book it later.

Please make sure you check if you need to have a travelling companion before you get to the airport. For safety reasons you may be unable to fly if you don’t have one.

If you’re travelling with other passengers not requiring assistance, one of them may be able to accompany you through security and whilst boarding the aircraft. Please check with the airport directly on the day.

You can bring two items of mobility equipment with you free of charge, in addition to your hold luggage allowance. Examples include:

• Wheelchairs
• Sports wheelchairs
• Electric mobility aid
• Walking frames
• Crutches
• Shower seat

If you have more than two mobility items, you’ll need to buy a hold luggage allowance for them. This can be done online through Manage Bookings.

At most airports you’ll be able to bring your mobility equipment up to the aircraft door but it may have to travel in the hold for the flight. It will then be waiting for you at the aircraft door or in the baggage hall when you arrive at your destination.

Arriving at the airport

We recommend you arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before your flight departs.

If you’re already in the terminal and you have luggage to go in the hold or you need to check-in, you can make yourself known at Bag Drop.

If you’ve already checked-in online and are travelling with a cabin bag only, you can go directly to the airport’s Special Assistance desk. You’ll be able to find the location of the Special Assistance desk by visiting the airport’s website.

If you are a wheelchair user travelling with your own chair, you’ll be able to keep it with you up to the door of the aircraft. Very large or heavy electric mobility scooters may need to be left at Bag Drop.

See also: Medicine, medical conditions and medical equipment

Getting through security

At some of our airports there is a dedicated Special Assistance security ‘lane’. If you are carrying medication and/or medical equipment to take on board, please make sure you have a doctor’s note with you, listing your medication, and that it is packaged correctly.

See also: Medicine, medical conditions and medical equipment

In the departure lounge

You should let the service provider know what assistance you need. They can accompany you in the departure lounge or make arrangements to meet you in advance of boarding the aircraft.

Some of our airports also have a dedicated Special Assistance seating area in the departure lounge.

Boarding the plane

We’ll get you on board shortly after our Speedy Boarding customers. This does vary depending on the airport layout and the type of assistance you need.

Our Special Assistance providers will get you to your allocated seat and stow your cabin bag(s) for you.

Arrivals

Depending on the airport we may ask you to wait until the rest of our customers disembark. The assistance providers will then be able to help you to disembark the aircraft at your own pace.

Depending on airport your wheelchair or electric mobility aid may be waiting for you at the bottom of the steps when you disembark or it will be in the baggage hall.

Assistance will then be provided through passport control and to the baggage reclaim where you will be helped to collect any luggage or mobility equipment, if necessary.

You will also be assisted from the baggage hall to your point of departure from the airport. At airports inside the European Union this can include the pick-up point, the bus stop or car park, for example.

Our Cabin Crew are unable to help with eating, drinking, taking medication, or visiting the toilet. Our toilets have grab handles and rails, and we’ll be happy to help you to and from the door.

We do have an on board wheelchair to help you get to and from the toilet; you must be able to transfer yourself from/to the aircraft seat and toilet compartment to the on board wheelchair.

Currently the longest scheduled easyJet flight is 5 hours.

Comfort aids (such as cushions) can be used on board so long as the aircraft seat belt can still be used.

We don’t have any additional support systems on board, however, if you’re travelling with additional support systems, please contact our Special Assistance team who will be able to allocate you a seat suitable to the support system.

If you are flying with a passenger who has additional needs, devices we accept on board include Crelling Harnesses, Burnett Body Support and Travel Chairs. For children we also accept the Firefly and CARES. Find out more information about flying with children.

Please be aware that if you are travelling on one of our partner airlines, on board wheelchairs may not be available.  Please contact our Special Assistance Team for the detail around your specific flight.

Assistance will be available from the moment you arrive at the airport up until you take your seat on the aircraft. The same service is available to help you from the plane, through baggage reclaim and immigration to the point where you leave your destination airport.

We recognise that everyone’s needs are different so please let the Special Assistance team at the airport know what your specific needs are.

On board, Cabin Crew will take you through the safety briefing and will help you to locate the oxygen mask and life jacket and fasten your seat belt. They will also explain to you where your seat is located in relation to the emergency exit and the toilets and will help you make your way to and from the toilet. If you buy food or drink, they will help you to open the packaging.

Assistance will be available from the moment you arrive at the airport up until you take your seat on the aircraft. The same service is available to help you from the plane, through baggage reclaim and immigration to the point where you leave your destination airport.

We recognise that everyone’s needs are different so please let the Special Assistance team at the airport know what your specific needs are.

Our Cabin Crew will take you through a separate safety briefing on board.

Our Cabin Crew have been trained to communicate with customers who are hearing-impaired and some may also be able to communicate in Sign Language.

If you have a learning or cognitive disability or a condition such as dementia, you should only travel alone if you are able to understand and react to safety instructions on board. It is also very important to think about all aspects of the journey, including finding your way through the airport, which can be confusing and stressful.

The environment in the airport and on board an aircraft can be very confusing and upsetting to people who may not understand where they are and it is advisable that you travel with a companion.

Assistance can be provided at the airport, including baggage retrieval. Please be aware that one-to-one personal care cannot be provided on board. If you are not sure whether you, or a relative or friend, should travel alone please call our Special Assistance team for advice.

As epilepsy is a very individual condition it is important to think about how all aspects of your journey might affect you. Some people’s seizures might be triggered by tiredness, excitement or anxiety, which can affect some people when they are flying.

Some people with epilepsy choose to carry an ID card or wear medical jewellery that explains how someone can help them if they have a seizure. If there is a chance that you might have a seizure, it is advisable that you travel with a companion who knows how to help you if a seizure happens.

We recognise that everyone’s needs are different so please contact our Special Assistance team prior to traveling or let the Special Assistance team at the airport know what your specific requirements are.

Assistance can be provided at the airport, including baggage retrieval. Please be aware that one-to-one personal care cannot be provided on board. If you are not sure whether you, or a relative or friend, should travel alone please call our Special Assistance team for advice.

There are some important differences between US law and European Law on access to Air Travel. In Europe the airport are responsible for providing assistance from your arrival at the airport, to your seat on the aircraft and from the aircraft to your point of onward travel.

We are responsible for passing on your request for assistance to the airport and for assisting you on board the aircraft.  You should let us know if you need assistance at least 48 hours before you fly.

I want to complain about problems at the airport

If the complaint is about the special assistance you asked for, at either your departure or arrival airports (for example; the assistance didn’t arrive or it was late and/or unsatisfactory) you:

• Need to make your complaint directly to the airport if it is in the UK or a European Union country (Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden) as well as Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. You can find the customer service contact details for the airports on their websites.
• Should not make your complaint to easyJet. Even though you may have booked the assistance through us, under UK and European law the airport is responsible  for the service.

If you have problems at an airport outside of the European countries listed, you should complain to easyJet by contacting our Special Assistance Team. We are responsible for the assistance teams provided at these airports. 

I want to complain about problems on the flight

If you have a complaint about anything that happened on the flight, or any staff while you were dealing with us, you should complain to us. You can do this by contacting our Special Assistance Team. If you are not satisfied with the way your complaint is dealt with either by us, or by the airport, you can also complain to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). 

If you’re travelling out of Switzerland, you’ll need to direct your complaints to the Federal Office of Civil Aviation (FOCA) Passenger Rights.

You can travel with a recognised assistance dog on most of our routes. A recognised assistance dog is a dog which is highly trained to assist a person with a disability.

Please be aware that we can only accept recognised assistance dogs, or assistance dogs in training, on board our aircraft. Emotional support animals, owner certified assistance dogs, therapy animals and pets of any kind are not permitted for carriage.

There are some restrictions which are listed below along with some useful general guidelines:

Permitted routes:

All flights starting and finishing within the EU including Switzerland and Norway but excluding the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland.

• You will need to provide official documentation which confirms that your recognised assistance dog fully meets the requirements of the country you are travelling to.
• You will also need to provide official documentation which confirms that your dog is a fully trained recognised assistance dog or is under the control of a trainer.  All dogs with training documentation from the following organisations are accepted:
• Assistance Dogs International (ADI)
• International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF)

*If your recognised assistance dog has been trained by a comparable organisation and you’re travelling on one of the above routes, please contact our Special Assistance team for guidance before travelling.

All flights between the United Kingdom and the EU including Switzerland and Norway (including Northern Ireland)

• You will need to provide official documentation which confirms that your recognised assistance dog fully meets the requirements of the country you’re travelling to.
• You will also need to provide official documentation which confirms that your dog is a fully trained recognised assistance dog or is under the control of a trainer. The training documentation must be from an organisation which is affiliated to one of the following*:
• Assistance Dogs International (ADI)
• International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF)

*An animal health certificate or UK Pet Passport is not required on journeys from Northern Ireland to Mainland UK, or on UK domestic routes. However, travel from Mainland UK to Northern Ireland does require an animal health certificate and relevant vaccinations.

Non-permitted routes:

Flights to / from Egypt, Israel, Kosovo, Montenegro, Morocco, Turkey

Due to local customs regulations, recognised assistance dogs are not permitted on these routes.

General Guidelines

• We do not accept liability for any recognised assistance dogs which are not correctly documented
• Once you’ve told us you are travelling with a recognised assistance dog, we’ll inform the special assistance provider at the airports you are travelling to and from. We recommended that you contact the airport’s Animal Reception Centre who usually meet you on arrival and clear your recognised assistance dog through customs. Contact details can be found on the airport’s website or you can get advice from Guide Dogs UK or from the Pet Travel Scheme helpline.
• Your dog must be wearing a standard identifying jacket or harness.
• Your dog, together with containers and food, will be carried free of charge in addition to your  baggage allowance.
• Please let us know no later than 48 hours before your flight is due to leave if you are travelling with a recognised assistance dog. See our ‘How do I request assistance?’ section.
• Please make sure you arrive at Bag Drop or the Special Assistance area at least 2 hours before your flight is due to leave so there is enough time to complete any paperwork.

Additional information and tips for travelling with an assistance dog can be found here.