Question 1

What assistance are disabled passengers entitled to when travelling?

Accepted Answer

A legally enforceable right to **free assistance** through the airport and onto the aircraft, plus obligations on airlines around equipment and refusal — and the rights are considerably stronger than most travellers realise, though delivery frequently falls short.

**What you are entitled to at the airport**, under assistance regulations:

**Help from a designated arrival point** — car park, station, drop-off — through check-in, security and to the gate.

**Boarding and disembarking assistance**, including transfer to and from the seat.

**Help with baggage.**

**Assistance on connections**, and to the exit on arrival.

**All of it free of charge.** Airports fund it through a charge levied on airlines, not on you.

**What airlines must do:**

**Carry mobility equipment free**, in addition to the baggage allowance — wheelchairs, walking aids and medical equipment do not count toward your limit.

**Carry a recognised assistance dog**, subject to entry rules for the destination.

**Not refuse booking or boarding** on grounds of disability, **except** where required to meet safety requirements or where the aircraft size makes it physically impossible. Where they refuse, they must offer alternatives and explain.

**Accommodate a companion** where one is required for safety reasons.

**What you have to do:**

**Request assistance in advance** — at least **48 hours** before departure, which is the condition that most often causes problems when missed. Assistance should still be provided without notice, but cannot be guaranteed.

**Provide detail**, since "wheelchair assistance" covers several very different needs — the codes used distinguish whether you can walk, manage stairs, or move to a seat.

**Declare battery types** for powered wheelchairs, since lithium batteries have specific rules.

**Arrive by the stated time.**

**Where it goes wrong:** damaged wheelchairs, long waits for assistance on arrival — including passengers left on aircraft — and equipment separated from passengers. **Damage to mobility equipment** is subject to liability limits in international carriage, which has been widely criticised as inadequate.

**Complain to the airline, then the national enforcement body.**

General information, not legal advice.

Question 2

What does travel insurance typically not cover?

Accepted Answer

Policies vary considerably, so the only authoritative source is the specific policy wording, and the exclusions section is the part worth reading before buying. That said, several exclusions recur

Question 3

What happens during a medical emergency on a plane?

Accepted Answer

A defined procedure that is considerably more capable than passengers expect — cabin crew are trained, aircraft carry equipment, and ground-based medical advice is available by radio at any point in

Question 4

What are your rights and obligations at border control?

Accepted Answer

Fewer rights than you would have almost anywhere else, and more obligations — because the border is a space where ordinary protections are reduced by design, and this catches travellers out

Question 5

What are the common exclusions in travel insurance policies?

Accepted Answer

Common exclusions in travel insurance include pre-existing conditions, high-risk activities, and travel against government advice. Understanding these can help avoid unexpected costs.

Question 6

Can you travel with prescription medication?

Accepted Answer

Usually yes — but medicines legal at home can be controlled or banned at your destination, and travellers are arrested for this every year while carrying entirely ordinary prescriptions. The general

Question 7

What can an embassy or consulate actually do if you are in trouble abroad?

Accepted Answer

Considerably less than most travellers assume, and the gap between expectation and reality is where people get caught out. Consular assistance is practical support within the limits of local law —

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