South African Airways (SAA) has release some important information and guidance for travel agents when booking wheelchair assistance for their clients.
Please see below important information and guidance when booking Wheelchair assistance on SAA flights.
SPECIAL SERVICES AVAILABLE ON SAA:
WHEELCHAIRS:
. WCHR . TO STEPS FOR RAMP ONLY
. WCHS . UNABLE TO CLIMB STAIRS
. WCHC . UNABLE TO WALK ASSISTANCE TO SEAT
WHEN REQUESTING FACILITY PLEASE USE SSR (SEGMENT RELATED)
AND ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION CAN BE INSERTED WITH OSI
Mandatory information
AGE OF THE PASSENGER AND REASON FOR THE WHEELCHAIR
CAN PASSENGER WALK LONG DISTANCES UNAIDED
CAN PASSENGER CLIMB STAIRS UNAIDED
CAN PASSENGER MANAGE IN CABIN UNAIDED
CAN PASSENGER BEND THEIR KNEES WHEN SEATED
CAN PASSENGER SEAT UPRIGHT DURING TAKE OFF AND LANDING
PAX SHOULD BE SELF-RELIANT ONBOARD OR ELSE BE ACCOMPANIED
IS PASSENGER ON ANY CHRONIC MEDICATION THAT NEEDS ADMINISTRAITION DURING FLIGHT
ANY MEDICAL CONDITIONS:
CAN PASSENGER MANAGE TOILET FACILITIES UNAIDED
DOWNLOAD MEDIF ONLINE WWW.FLYSAA.COM AND DR TO FILL IT IN
ONCE MEDIF IS FILLED IN EMAIL TO SPECIALHANDLING//FLYSAA.COM
DID THE PASSENGER HAVE ANY OPERATIONS WITHIN THE LAST 6 MONTHS
DOES THE PASSENGER HAVE THEIR OWN COLLAPSIBLE WHEELCHAIR
ENTRIES-e.g.
SRWCHSSA-72YRS ELDERLY NON-MEDA SLOW WALKER UNABLE TO CLIMB STAIRS
OSSA-PAX ABLE TO WALK FROM PLANE DOOR TO SEAT UNAIDED
OSSA-ABLE TO SIT UPRIGHT BEND KNEES WHEN SEATED FOR DURATION OF FLIGHT
OSSA-ABLE TO SELF MANAGE ON BOARD FLIGHTS
SRWCHRSA-72YRS ELDERLY NON-MEDA SLOW WALKER ABLE TO CLIMB STAIRS
OSSA-PAX ABLE TO WALK FROM PLANE DOOR TO SEAT UNAIDED
OSSA-ABLE TO SIT UPRIGHT BEND KNEES WHEN SEATED FOR DURATION OF FLIGHT
OSSA-ABLE TO SELF MANAGE ON BOARD FLIGHTS
SRMEDA-MEDICAL CONDITION ASTHMA
SRWCHCSA-82YRS MEDICAL CONDITION ASTHMA
OSSA-UNABLE TO WALK UNABLE TO CLIMB STAIRS
ossa-requires WCHC assistance onboard
OSSA-ABLE TO SIT UPRIGHT BEND KNEES WHEN SEATED FOR DURATION OF FLIGHT
Wheelchairs
For travellers with limited mobility, SAA offer the following assistance:
Wheelchairs at the airport
SAA can arrange for a wheelchair to be made available from check-in to the boarding gate, and from the aircraft to the arrival’s hall at your destination. To arrange for a wheelchair, please contact your nearest SAA office at least 48 hour prior to your departure, if not at the time of booking.
Travelling with your own wheelchair:
You are welcome to check-in 1 wheelchair as part of your free baggage allowance. On flights to and from European Union destinations (London, Frankfurt, Munich), 1 further mobility device may be carried free of charge (2 in total).
Wheelchairs and mobility aids with non-spillable wet batteries. Batteries must not exceed 300wH, if there are two batteries, each battery must not exceed 160wH. Spare batteries must not exceed 300wH or two spares each 160wH. Batteries removed from mobility aid must be carried in the passenger cabin.
Mobility aids onboard
Each traveller is entitled to one mobility aid e.g. wheelchair, crane, crutches, etc free of charge in addition to their standard baggage allowance. These items must be small enough to be stowed without obstruction.
All SAA aircraft are equipped with an onboard wheelchair, allowing travellers to be escorted to and from the toilets. SAA also have seats with movable armrests that facilitate the transfer of a traveller from the onboard wheelchair to the seat and vice versa. For a list of aircraft with movable aisle armrests and toilets accessible to wheelchair-bound travellers, click here.
PERSONS WITH THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS ARE CONSIDERED AS
MEDICAL CASES AND ARE THEREFORE REQUIRED TO COMPLETE THE
STANDARD SAA AW44 MEDICAL QUESTIONNARE:
. ANY HEART DISEASE, SEVERE CARDIAC FAILURE OR
MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION
. ASTHMA
. ANGINA
. GUILLAIN BARRE SYNDROME
. IMMUNE DEFECIENCY
. LEUKAEMIA
. MENINGITIS
. NERVOUS BREAKDOWN AND NEUROSIS OR ANY MENTAL ILLNESS
. OBSTRUCTIVE AIRWAYS DISEASE
. RENAL FAILURE
. STROKE/CVA
. THROMBOSIS
. PNEUMONIA
. PULMONORAY DISEASE
. TRANSPLANTS
ALSO:
. PASSENGERS WHO HAVE NOT COMPLETELY RECOVERED FROM
SURGERY
OF HEAD, CHEST, OR ABDOMEN
. PASSENGERS WHO UNDERWENT MEDICAL EXAMINATION AND MAY HAVE
RESIDUAL AIR IN NERVE SYSTEM
. PASSENGERS WHO SUFFER FROM A CONTAGIOUS ILLNESS
(CHICKEN POX, MEASELS, YELLOW JAUNDICE)
. PASSENGERS WITH MULTIPLE FRACTURES
ALL OF THE ABOVE WILL BE CONSIDERED FOR AIR TRAVEL IF THE
MEDICAL CONDITION OR THE STATE OF HEALTH OF THE PASSENGER
IS STABLE AND THE ATTENDING PHYSICAIN CERTIFIES THE PASSENGER
FIT FOR AIR TRAVEL. PASSENGERS MAY BE ACCEPTED AFTER AIRLINE
ASSESMENT BY MEDICAL SERVICES.
DIABETIC
. NO MEDICAL CLEARANCE REQUIRED PROVIDED THE PASSENGER CAN
ADMINISTER OWN MEDICATION AND IS IN A STABLE MEDICAL
CONDITION. SHOULD THE PASSENGER BE UNABLE TO ADMINISTER
OWN MEDICATION AN ABLE-BODIED ASSISTANT IS REQUIRED TO
TRAVEL WITH.
Email medical forms to specialhandling@flysaa.com
Medical Forms are available here
