Information for travellers

PASSENGERS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

Your flight may not be operated by Air Transat. Should this be the case (CanJet flight or other), please read this Important notice.

Things you need to know

• In order for us to best serve your needs, it is very important to inform your travel agent and/or Air Transat at the time of booking of the services you require.
• Some circumstances and medical conditions may require advance approval, such as medical oxygen; we encourage you to provide us with advance notice so we may ensure your comfort and safety.
• Please keep in mind that if you are not self-reliant, you may need to travel with an escort. Please contact us to review what services we are able to provide, and if an escort may be required based on your personal circumstances.
• Passengers with special needs and their escort can pre-select their seat by contacting our Information and Seat Selection Centre at 1-877-TRANSAT (872-6728) or locally in the Montreal region 514-636-3630. Hearing impaired passengers may call 1-866-234-5136 (TTY) toll free within North America or 514-906-5196 in the local Montreal area. Please contact us once your booking is made so that we may pre-assign the most suitable seat for your comfort.
• Our cabin crew will be pleased to assist you at any time. Do not hesitate to ask for help.
• All our aircraft are equipped with an accessible lavatory with features designed to be operated with minimal effort, and that will accommodate the onboard wheelchair. As Flight Attendants are unable to assist in the lavatory, you must be able to use this onboard facility independently or with your escort.
• An onboard wheelchair is available on all our aircraft to provide cabin accessibility.
• For passengers with visual impairments, an individual safety briefing will be provided to you by a crew member, and a Braille safety features card is available on all our aircraft. Each row number of our aircraft is identified with a tactile row marker at the bottom of the overhead bins, so that you may independently locate your seat if you wish. Please let our cabin crew know if you would prefer our assistance; we will be happy to help you.
• For passengers with hearing impairments, both ground and in-flight staff and attendants have access to pen and paper to assist with communication.
• Wheelchairs or mobility aids equipped with dry and gel cell batteries are carried free of charge and handled with priority. Wet-Cell batteries are not accepted on Air Transat flights. (See below for more details)
• For passengers with allergies, rest assured that Air Transat does not serve peanut or seafood products on board.  As all foods are prepared in an external facility, we are unable to guarantee that allergens will not be present in the food or snacks served or that other passengers will not bring these products on board.  As a result, we strongly suggest that passengers with severe food allergies bring their own food and snacks for the duration of the flight, as well as any appropriate medication such as an Epi-pen.  For travellers with severe allergies to nuts and peanut products, we will be happy to assist with on board comfort by making a general announcement, as well as asking adjacent passengers to refrain from consuming their own nut and peanut products on board.

To prepare for your trip

Air Transat makes an effort to offer transport to all passengers. However, the acceptance of some passengers may be restricted in accordance with safety regulations. Air Transat follows the regulations and protocol set forth by Transport Canada and the Canadian Transportation Agency.

http://www.accesstotravel.gc.ca

http://www.otc-cta.gc.ca/eng/take-charge

Conditions for acceptance

Air Transat will accept the determination of a person with a disability as to their self-reliance. Some travellers may require an escort to travel, and this will be determined by the traveller’s own individual circumstances. Please contact us to review your personal circumstances so that we can collectively ensure your comfort and safety (request@airtransat.com)

Passengers travelling with an escort

Air Transat is pleased to offer a 50% discounted rate for a passenger travelling with a person with a disability who cannot otherwise travel on his or her own. This discount is available on flights to/from United States. In order for us to consider eligibility, please have your travel agent contact us at the following address: request@airtransat.com

Please note that all requests will be evaluated by Air Transat in order to determine eligibility for this program.

Pre-assigned seating for passengers with special needs

Air Transat's Information and Seat Selection Centre (1-877-TRANSAT (872-6728) / TTY 1-866-234-5136) pre-assigns appropriate seating for all passengers with special needs up to two days prior to a flight departure to most destinations and up to three days prior to a flight departing from Europe. Once a passenger has identified him/herself as a person with special needs, their call will be transferred to a dedicated agent within the department. The passenger will be asked to provide any relevant information, so that together they can discuss and determine the special seating requirement. All efforts will be made to accommodate the passenger with a suitable seat most appropriate for their needs, including seats with lifting armrests, additional floor space for service animals, extra legroom, or those close to a washroom or exit. The seat selection fees may be waived, and passengers may be asked to provide a medical letter supporting their request. We encourage our passengers with special needs to contact our Information and Seat Selection Centre directly to speak to our agents in order to discuss their specific requirements.

How we will help you

Passengers with disabilities, those with special needs, or those requesting assistance of any kind will be offered pre-boarding services.

Additionally, an Air Transat Agent will help you with:

• Registration at the check-in counter
• Moving to the boarding area
• Pre-boarding
• Transferring from your own mobility aid (if needed)

On-board special care

• stow and retrieve your carry-on baggage and mobility aids;
• by periodic checks to inquire about your needs and providing assistance as required.

Arrival procedures

An Air Transat Agent will help you with:

• Deplaning
• Transferring to your own mobility aid (if needed)
• Retrieving checked baggage
• Moving to the general public area
• Getting to a representative of another airline for a flight connection.

Where possible, we will make every attempt to have your personal wheelchair or mobility aid available at the aircraft door upon arrival.

Exceptionally, in Cuba, all items in the cargo hold must be cleared through customs, and consequently, personal wheelchairs cannot be brought to the door of the aircraft. Passengers will be transferred from the straightback wheelchair to a company wheelchair and then to their own chair or mobility aid in the baggage hall.

Foreign language speaking travellers (other than French or English)

We suggest you notify your travel agent of your spoken language in order for them to notify us. While our staff speak French and/or English, many of our employees also speak additional languages.

Passengers with a High Body Mass

For the comfort and safety of passengers who may not fit comfortably in a standard aircraft seat, we highly recommend the purchase of either two (2) Economy class seats with the armrest between the seats placed in the vertical position — (a seatbelt extension will be available, and the cabin attendant will provide you with assistance during boarding) — or a larger Club Class seat. Our Information and seat selection agents will be pleased to help select the most comfortable seating for your journey. Bulkhead seating and emergency exit row are not recommended, as the armrests do not lift.

Contact us

Should you wish to contact our special services department for assistance, please e-mail us at: request@airtransat.com

An agent will contact you to discuss these arrangements.