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Requests for wheelchair services must be submitted at least 48 hours prior to the scheduled flight time and confirmed in the booking. Requests received within 48 hours of the flight time will be fulfilled depending on the availability of the service. It is recommended that you arrive at the airport 2 hours before departure for domestic flights and 3 hours before departure for international flights to ensure that you have enough time to complete your check-in procedures on time.
Passengers with SMA must have the medical devices and sufficiently charged spare batteries they may need during their flight and carry a plug adapter to ensure the devices plug into the outlet of the aircraft.
Patients requiring the use of a stretcher for travel must be accompanied by a companion; please note that tickets for companions are issued separately. In addition, passengers/companions must provide a report in both Turkish and English confirming that their condition is suitable for flying. This report must be issued within the last 10 days from the date of publication. For passengers approved to travel by stretcher, a ticket is issued for the fare determined by the Incorporation. Passengers authorized to travel with a stretcher must submit their requests 48 hours prior to the flight through a pre-notification.
Individuals with autism who travel with a companion do not need to provide a doctor's report. If they are traveling solo, without a companion, they may board the flight with a doctor's note stating that they “can travel by plane without a companion.
Passengers who have Parkinson's disease are admitted to the flight with a doctor's report stating that “There is no harm in traveling by plane”. The report must include a statement specifying that the passenger can travel accompanied or unaccompanied.
Due to international flight regulations, unfortunately we cannot give admission to board to our passengers suffering certain diseases.
We can give admission to board to our sick passengers who has no infectious diseases and for whom there is no medical impediment to travel, provided that they submit a medical report issued within a maximum of 10 days and bearing the statement of "there are no risks on traveling by plane".
On the other hand, we can give admission to board to our passengers with special needs or whose ability to move is temporarily restricted, either alone or with a companion depending on their medical conditions.
Our passengers with physical disabilities but able to fulfil their own personal needs may travel alone without a companion. However, our passengers who are unable to fulfil their personal needs are required to attend the flight under supervision of a companion. As well, our passengers with mental disabilities must necessarily attend the flight under supervision of a companion.
You can view the details regarding the situations that require travelling with a companion in the table below.
| Situation | Must travel with a companion | Can travel without a companion | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sick passenger who can attend to his/her personal needs on his/her own | X | ✓ | Can travel only with a medical report taken within 10 days before the flight. |
| Passenger with disability who can attend to his/her personal needs | X | ✓ | No medical report is required |
| Mentally handicapped passenger | ✓ | X | No medical report is required, all travel documents must be carried by the companion. |
| Visually impaired passenger | X | ✓ | No medical report is required |
| Hearing-impaired passenger | X | ✓ | No medical report is required |
| Hearing-impaired and visually impaired passenger | ✓ | X | No medical report is required |
| Passenger with one broken leg | X | ✓ | No medical report is required |
| Passenger who is mobile only with the help of a wheelchair | X | ✓ | No medical report is required |
*Passenger who can move without the assistance of cabin crew and has a crutch in case of an emergency or necessity
Passengers with certain medical conditions may fly, provided they submit a doctor’s report. The report must be prepared within 10 days of the flight, in English or Turkish, and must confirm that the passenger is fit to fly.
A complimentary wheelchair service is available to passengers with approved wheelchair requests. Wheelchair requests must be submitted at least 48 hours prior to the flight. Other wheelchair requests are evaluated within the station facilities.
We offer priority to special needs passengers upon request, and when checking in, going through passport control, and boarding. We provide special needs passengers with front row seats based on seat availability and aircraft configuration.
Guide dogs are accepted in the cabin free of charge. Reservations for emotional support dogs and guide dogs can be submitted up to 48 hours before departure. During the flight, guide dogs must sit at the feet of their owners, uncaged.
Guide dogs must have valid health certificates, identification documents and vaccination papers. In addition, guide dogs must have any other documentation required by the destination country. These documents may be requested when checking in.
For more information, please see our pet travel page.
Differences that are hard to spot by observing, such as autism, dementia (forgetfulness), anxiety disorder, speech difficulties, reading difficulties, and vision difficulties, can cause individuals to have a hard time during their travels as well as in the airport and while flying.
In order to minimize these difficulties that may be experienced by our passengers during their travels, we have started to use the Sunflower Lanyard service.
When our ground services personnel and cabin crew members see a passenger wearing the sunflower lanyard, they will recognize that the passenger who wears the lanyard may need more help, support or more time in certain processes.
Passengers can obtain their lanyard free of charge from our Assisted Check in Counter at Istanbul Airport, without the need to prove their condition, and can use it throughout their travels. In addition, passengers can continue to use the same card on their upcoming trips and at points where the Sunflower lanyard is valid.
Some of the medical equipment you might need during the flight is available in our cabins. You may also use your own medical equipment during the flight.
For security reasons you are not allowed to use your own oxygen tank during the flight; however, we will provide oxygen tank with a medical certificate with the amount per minute stated on your medical report. The oxygen inquiries should be placed at least 48 hours before the flight.
In case you are traveling with personal respirator/ POC/CPAP machine please make sure that the device is FAA approved. You may use your own devices whenever you need to, except during take-off and landing. Passengers traveling with portable respirators must inform the reservation unit 48 hours before the flight time regarding the transportation and/or use of the devices. A doctor’s certificate is required if the passenger intends to use the portable respirator in the cabin. Please keep in mind that if you intend to use your inhaler on board, you should bring enough batteries (enough to last one and a half times the flight duration). There is no requirement to have a power outlet in the cabin for these devices.
Our passengers with diabetes may take their relevant medications without producing a report. Our passengers with medical conditions other than diabetes who are required to take medication during the flight must keep their prescriptions with them.
During flights to/from the United States, passengers may request to speak to a Complaint Resolution Official (CRO) regarding any problems related to a disability. The CRO team is authorized to resolve complaints on behalf of Turkish Airlines. CRO team members have undergone sensitivity and awareness training, as well as related DOT regulation and legislation training as specified in the “U.S Department of Transportation, Title 14, Chapter II, Sub-chapter D, Part 328, Subpart K”. CROs are available at the airports during operation hours. If you are not able to contact a CRO, you can e-mail CRO@THY.COM so that your issue gets the necessary attention. Please see this page for the complete list of CROs. CRO services are available in English and Turkish.
If you believe Turkish Airlines has violated any provision of the Code of Federal Regulations 14CFR, Part 382, you may file a formal complaint under the applicable procedures of 14CFR Part 382.65 via the following channels:
Via Mail:
U.S. Department of Transportation Aviation
Consumer Protection Division/C-75400
7th Street, SW
Washington, D.C. 20590
1-202-366-2220
Via online channel:
Aviation Consumer Protection Division >>
You can review the article "Non-discrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel" title 14, chapter 2, section 382 under the Final Rule of the US Department of Transportation.
You can access the Department of Transportation's regulation via the following channels.
Free phone numbers for passengers with disabilities - in English:
1-800-778-4838 (voice)
1-800-455-9880 (TTY)
Phone numbers for the US Aviation Consumer Protection Department:
202-366-2220 (voice)
202-366-0511 (TTY)
Address of the US Aviation Consumer Protection Department:
C-75, U.S. Dept. of Transportation
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE.
Washington, D.C. 20590
Website of the US Aviation Consumer Protection:
Special discount for our passengers with disabilityOur passengers with disability, who are Miles&Smiles members benefit from a 20% discount in domestic flights and a 25% discount for international flights departing from Türkiye by submitting a “proof of disability” document only once.