Airport special assistance is a free service available to passengers with reduced mobility, older travelers, children flying alone and anyone who finds getting around difficult. The key rule is simple: notify your airline at least 48 hours before the flight. This guide explains exactly who qualifies, how to request the service and how to plan the trip without unnecessary stress.
♿ Who qualifies for free assistance
Under EU Regulation EC 1107/2006, assistance for Persons with Reduced Mobility (PRM) is completely free at every European airport — it's provided by the airport itself, not the airline. The same standard applies at Georgia's airports.
The service isn't only for wheelchair users: it also covers older passengers, travelers with temporary injuries (a broken leg, for example), pregnant women, passengers with impaired vision or hearing, and people with hidden disabilities such as autism.
📞 How to request it — step by step
- Notify the airline when booking, or at least 48 hours before departure — via the manage-booking page or the call center
- Specify the type of help you need: WCHR — a wheelchair for long distances, WCHS — including stairs, WCHC — full assistance to your seat
- Arrive earlier than usual (2.5-3 hours before departure) and check in at the assistance point or the check-in desk
- You can keep your own wheelchair up to the aircraft door — it's checked in free of charge and doesn't count against your baggage allowance
Keep the confirmation email on your phone — on connecting itineraries it's useful at every airport along the way.
🧒 A child flying alone — the Unaccompanied Minor service
Most full-service airlines require children aged 5-12 traveling alone to use the Unaccompanied Minor (UM) service — a crew member accompanies the child from check-in to the named adult meeting them. The service costs roughly $55-110 per direction and must be booked in advance.
Note that low-cost carriers don't offer a UM service at all — with Wizz Air a child under 14 cannot travel alone and needs a companion aged 16 or older. Enter the meeting adult's name, ID and phone number precisely in the booking.
🤰 Pregnancy and flying
- Up to week 28: most airlines require no certificate — fly freely
- Weeks 28-36: you need a doctor's note confirming your due date and fitness to fly (often issued within the last 7 days)
- After week 36 (week 32 for twins): most airlines no longer allow boarding
- Rules vary by airline — always check the exact conditions before departure
🛫 How it works at Georgia's airports
At Tbilisi and Kutaisi airports you request assistance the same way — through the airline's booking page, 48 hours ahead. For terminal layouts, access routes and the passenger flow, see the Tbilisi airport guide and the Kutaisi airport guide.
To cut down on queues, complete online check-in in advance — then the assistance point is your only required stop at the airport.
Special assistance is your right, not a favor — the only requirement is asking in time. For tips on flying with children, see flying with kids, and find your ticket in Travel365's flight search to compare conditions across airlines.
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