Consult your doctor about your planned trip and all the details of the preparations required. Book your flight well in advance (at least two days before departure) and notify our Service Centre about your needs.

If you are travelling in a group with your own mobility aids, please notify us of your care requirements as early as possible.

There are specially trained staff to assist our passengers with disabilities at all airports. Complimentary wheelchairs and accompanied transport vehicles are available at departure and on your arrival.

When you arrive at your destination airport your wheelchair will either be returned to you immediately or no later than at the baggage carousel. In the latter case you will be taken there in an airport wheelchair. There may be slight delays. We ask for your understanding for this.

Please note that your wheelchair cannot be returned to you immediately after disembarkation at the following airports: Catania, Hanover, Nuremberg, Olbia, Palermo, Rotterdam, Stuttgart and Valencia.

We recommend that passengers with disabilities arrive at the check-in desk 90 minutes before the ​latest check-in time.

Passengers with disabilities enjoy priority boarding on our flights. We will carry up to two wheelchairs and assistance dogs at no extra charge.

* Please note that our services are not available in all languages. If we do not offer your language, further communication about your application will be made in English.

We provide an onboard wheelchair on all long-haul flights and on short-haul flights on request. These wheelchairs fit along the aisle of the aircraft to enable passengers with disabilities to move inside the aircraft.

Our cabin crew will help you find space to stow your hand baggage and assist wheelchair users to get to the lavatory and back. Our cabin crew will also be happy to assist you in unpacking and identifying food on the tray. However, our crew is unable to provide any medical services, assistance in going to the toilet or with eating and drinking.

Seats on all our aircraft are fitted with removable armrests.

At present 5 out of our 12 Airbus A330-300 aircraft are fitted with wheelchair-accessible toilets.

We cannot offer seats in the emergency rows to passengers with disabilities for safety reasons.

We will provide an escort service at the airport on request. Certified assistance dogs are carried in the cabin free of charge. We ask passengers who wish to bring an assistance animal with them to notify us at least 48 hours in advance on flights with a scheduled flight time of eight hours or more.

Important information: many countries impose strict vaccination rules for animals. Your destination country may refuse your dog entry if do not have the documentation or certificates required. Some countries impose entry restrictions for animals, including assistance dogs.

We may require a medical care form (MEDIF) depending on the severity of the disability.

A MEDIF form is required:

• in the event of an acute disease or accident
• after surgery
• if a stretcher or oxygen is required
• for passengers who require a travelling companion for health reasons. Our crew can only provide limited assistance.

Please ask for the form at the time of booking or download the MEDIF form (PDF). Please complete the group form (PDF) for group travel by passengers with disabilities. Please upload the form no later than 48h (for stretcher 72h) before your departure on med.swiss.com.

Passengers with a chronic but stabile illness who travel frequently will receive a Frequent Travellers Medical Card (FREMEC) from us so that they do not have to complete the MEDIF form for every trip.

Please note that a travelling companion is required in the following cases:

• if the passenger is unable to help themselves in the event of an emergency evacuation
• if the passenger is unable to communicate with our cabin crew regarding safety instructions
• if the passenger is unable to understand or follow safety instructions

SWISS has joined the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower program, which supports people with invisible disabilities.

​Find out more about Hidden Disabilities SunflowerThe link will be opened in a new browser tab

Wearing the sunflower symbol is a discreet way of indicating invisible disabilities. This lets others know that you may need assistance or a little extra time.

Please note that the sunflower does not guarantee that you will receive special services. However, all our staff will do their best to help you so that you can travel in comfort.

If you require additional services (e.g. priority boarding or assistance at the airport), you can ​register for these here.

With SWISS this regulation applies to all flights that start or end in the USA. A copy with the precise wording of this regulation is available on request at all airports from which we fly to the USA.

You can also obtain the form from the US Department of Transportation:

• by telephone in the USA via the free hotline for passengers with disabilities: +1-800-778-4838 (voice call) or +1-800-455-9880 (TTY)
• by telephone from the Aviation Consumer Protection Division on +1 202-366-2220 (voice call) or +1 202-366-0511 (TTY)
• in writing from the Air Consumer Protection Division, C-75, U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., West Building, Room W96-432, Washington, DC 20590, USA
• via the website of the Aviation Consumer Protection Division

SWISS is committed to handle your wheelchair or scooter (herein referred to as “mobility device”) with care. Despite our best efforts, mobility devices may sometimes be damaged or delayed.

If you need to report a delayed or damaged mobility device during your trip please file a report online ​SWISS - Create a New ReportThe link will be opened in a new browser tab or contact lost and found at your destination airport.

You may also request a reimbursement of expenses by completing this form:

Additionally, in the event of any mishandling of your mobility device, please ask for one of our specially trained contact persons, the Complaint Resolution Official (CRO). This employee understands the relevant regulations of the US authorities and will deal with your concerns. 

Our CROs are available at all our US destinations and in Switzerland in Zurich and Geneva.

In case of a delayed return of your mobility device, you may choose between picking up the delayed mobility device at your destination airport or having it delivered to a reasonable location such as your home or hotel. 

We will reimburse transportation expenses to and from the airport that you incurred as a direct result of your mobility device being delayed. You may be required to submit documentation that substantiates the cost.

If your device has been mishandled on your flight, you have the right to receive a loaner wheelchair from us with customizations that meets their function and safety requirements as much as possible while you are waiting on returns, repairs or replacements for your mishandled device. If this is not possible, you can secure your own alternative loaner mobility device. The associated cost will be reimbursed within 30 days of your submission of the documentation substantiating the expense.

In case of a damaged or lost mobility device, you will be offered the following options:

1. SWISS will handle the repair or replacement of the device, with a device of comparable function and safety at our expense.  
2. Arranging the repair or replacement of the device through your preferred vendor with SWISS having the responsibility to transport the device to the preferred vendor and to pay the vendor directly for the associated cost.

We’ll do our best to accommodate your mobility device. To ensure that your mobility device fits through the cargo door, please check the door sizes of our aircraft:

Weight restrictions are in place on Embraer fleet: 80 kg and A220-100/A220-300:  149 kg