When arriving at the airport, the passengers must go to the designated special assistance desks or the check-in desk and indicate they have requested a wheelchair service. TAP Gold or Star Alliance Gold members passengers or passengers travelling in Business Class, should use the check-in services in the Premium area at Lisbon Airport.

If the passenger is traveling to or from the airports of Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Ponta Delgada, Santa Maria, Horta, Flores, Madeira or Porto Santo, know that this service is provided by ANA, Aeroportos de Portugal, through My Way. Click here for more information.

Recommended arrival times at the airport

• For short or medium-haul flights: 2 hours before or at the latest 1h30 before departure;
• For intercontinental flights: 3 hours before or at the latest 1h30 before departure (depending on destinations).

Boarding

The boarding procedures determines that passengers on wheelchairs have priority boarding. TAP follows this procedure unless at time of boarding the passenger is not yet at the gate.

On board

The crew will help to embark/disembark, ensure the passengers are comfortable and give any required information. However, the crew cannot help with personal care, feeding or help passengers move about the cabin.

If necessary, TAP provides wheelchairs on board on long-haul flights, specially designed to circulate in narrow aisles to facilitate mobility in the cabin.

On arrival

Ground staff will meet passengers at the aircraft's door on arrival, at the transfer or final destination airport and will accompany them through the entire process: passport control, luggage reclaim and customs.

There are three types of wheelchair that can be requested:
 

WCHR – Wheelchair Ramp

For passengers who have difficulty walking the usual commuting distances at an airport but are able climb up our down the aircraft's stairs, a "ramp" chair should be ordered via SSR WCHR (R=ramp).

GDS entries (examples in Criptic mode)

 

WCHS – Wheelchair Stairs

For passengers who have difficulty walking the usual commuting distances at the airport as well as up and down the aircraft's stairs, a "stairs" chair should be ordered through SSR WCHS (S=stairs).

GDS entries (examples in Criptic mode)

WCHC - Wheelchair Cabin

For passengers with little or no mobility that prevents their movement to any distance, including to their seat in the airplane, a "cabin" chair must be through SSR WCHC (C = cabin).

GDS entries (examples in Criptic mode)

 

When inserting one of these three SSRs, the system will insert the following warning:

“IF BRINGING OWN WHEELCHAIR PLS REQ WCBD/WCMP/WCBW”

this message is an alert so that if the passenger wishes to carry his own wheelchair, an additional SSR is added indicating the type of wheelchair. 

 

⁽¹⁾Travelling with own wheelchair

According to the Regulation (CE) Nº1107/2006, Annex II, disabled passengers and passengers with reduced mobility when travelling by air, can transport, free of charge, 2 pieces of mobility equipment, including electric wheelchairs.

Acceptance of electric wheelchairs is always pending on type of wheelchair, type of aircraft and available space on hold.

Any battery powered mobility equipment (wheelchair or similar equipment) requires previous authorization from the airline. So, when the transportation of a wheelchair is requested, technical detailed information regarding the battery must be sent to our Help Desk for verification by the safety department.

Request must be made latest until 48 hours before the flight using the IATA codes mentioned below:

SSR WCMP -  Manually Powered Wheelchair (no battery)                    

SSR  WCBD - Non-Spillable Battery - Dry Cell and Gel Cell Battery Wheelchair  

SSR   WCBW - Spillable Battery - Wet Cell Battery Wheelchair                       

SSR WCLB - (Non-spillable) Lithium - Ion Battery Wheelchair

• The request can be made simultaneously or after insertion of the respective SSR WHCR, WCHS or WCHC.
• In the free-text space of these SSRs, the 3 dimensions, the weight, the battery type, the power (in Watt-hours -Wh⁽²⁾) and other specifications (folding, non-folding, sports, etc.) must be entered.
• In the case of electric mobility equipment, the passenger must provide the technical specifications - brand / model / type / power of the battery (Watt-hours - Wh⁽²⁾) for verification of the airline in order to ensure they are safely and properly transported.
• The SSR will be in pending status for analysis and confirmation by the airline.

 

GDS entries (examples in Criptic mode)

NOTE: The transport request for the passenger's own wheelchair must have specifications for the wheelchair, including the brand and model.