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SEPT 2025 THE REVIEW | 17 Top tips for flying with a wheelchair Help protect yourself and your chair and minimise stress during your journey. By ABBIE TAYLOR – FLIGHT CENTRE Whether you’re travelling for business or pleasure, catching a flight can be daunting for anyone. And if you live with a disability and use a mobility device, the prospect of air travel can be even more complicated. Travellers often ask: How accessible is the plane? Will my wheelchair get lost or damaged? Do flight attendants help with wheelchairs? Plan, plan, plan Whether it’s your first flight in a wheelchair or you’re a seasoned professional, being proactive is the best thing you can do to help decrease stress and set yourself up for an epic trip. Work with your travel consultant and the airline to understand all the relevant policies and procedures before you depart. Make sure you have a clear outline of your needs and what equipment is required for you to have a safe and enjoyable vacation. If you have a power wheelchair or other battery-operated equipment, it’s important to know if it uses wet, gel cell or dry cell batteries. It’s likely you’ll need to fill out a dangerous goods form so that you can fly with the equipment as hand luggage. Keep in mind that wheelchair users will be first on and last off the plane. Avoid booking any super tight connections and consider letting any ground transfers know that you may need a little extra time. Chat with the airline directly Policies and procedures will differ between airlines, so