Accessible travel: assistance at the airport and in the car

Travelling can be hard work if you have a disability, a health condition, limited mobility or a hidden condition such as autism or dementia. Airports are big, busy places, and the journey to and from them adds another step. This guide explains how airport assistance works in general and what we can and can't do to help in the car. Please read it alongside your airline's and the airport's own information, because that is where the official detail is.

Airport assistance: the basics

UK airports provide free special assistance for passengers who need help getting through the airport. It can include help from the entrance, through check-in and security, to the gate and onto the plane, and the same in reverse when you land. Manchester and the other big airports all have assistance services.

The key points:

• Book it in advance. You usually request assistance through your airline or travel agent, ideally at least 48 hours before you fly. Some airports also let you contact them directly.
• Be specific. Tell them what help you need. Do you need a wheelchair from the entrance, help with stairs, or just someone to guide you?
• Know where to meet. Airports have assistance points or help points near the terminal entrances and in arrivals. Check where yours is.
• Allow time. Assisted passengers often need to arrive a bit earlier. Follow the airline's advice.

Many airports also support the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower lanyard, which lets staff know you may need a little more time or help without you having to explain. Check with the airport if this would help you.

Dropping off and picking up

Our drivers will take you to the terminal drop-off area and help you out of the car and with your bags. They can help you to the nearest assistance point if it is close to where they drop you. They can't go through security with you or take you to the gate; that is what the airport assistance team is for.

Drop-off areas at some airports are a short walk from the door. If walking even a short distance is difficult for you, tell us when you book. We will find the best drop-off point within the airport's rules.

On the way back, we strongly suggest meet & greet (£5). The driver waits inside the arrivals hall with a name board. If you are coming through with an assistance team, they can bring you to the driver, who then walks with you to the car.

Wheelchairs and mobility aids

Please be clear with us about wheelchairs and mobility aids, so we can send the right car.

• Folding wheelchairs, walking frames and folding scooters can usually go in the boot of an estate car, a people carrier or a larger vehicle. Tell us when you book, and include the size if you know it.
• If you can transfer from your wheelchair into a car seat, with or without some help, a standard car with a good-sized boot is often fine. A higher vehicle, such as a people carrier, can be easier to get into for some people. Others find a lower saloon easier. Tell us what works for you.
• If you need to travel seated in your wheelchair, please call us before you book. That needs a specially adapted vehicle with a ramp or lift and restraints. Don't book a standard vehicle and hope it will work.

Our drivers will help you in and out of the car and with your chair, but they are not carers or medical staff. If you need lifting or personal care, please travel with someone who can help.

Assistance dogs

Assistance dogs are welcome, at no extra cost. Under UK law, licensed private hire drivers must carry assistance dogs unless they have a medical exemption from their licensing authority. If you are travelling with an assistance dog, mention it when you book so we can plan.

Hidden conditions

Not every need is visible. If you or someone you are travelling with has autism, dementia, anxiety, a learning disability or another condition that makes travel harder, tell us what helps. That could be:

• a quiet journey with little conversation
• the radio off
• a call before the driver arrives
• the same pickup point you know
• a bit of extra time to get in the car

Put it in the booking notes. We will pass it to the driver.

Travelling with medicines and equipment

If you carry medicines, keep them in your hand luggage, not in a case in the boot. If you have medical equipment, such as an oxygen supply or a CPAP machine, check the airline's rules before you fly and tell us if it needs to travel in a particular way in the car.

Older travellers

Many of our regular customers are older people flying to see family or going on holiday. Some just want a bit of extra help with heavy bags. Others need more. Either way, meet & greet on the way back, a note in the booking and a call to us if you have any worries all help. A family member can book for you and give your mobile number as the passenger contact.

What to tell us when you book

1. Who is travelling and what help they need.
2. Any wheelchair, walker or scooter, and whether it folds.
3. Whether the passenger can transfer into a car seat.
4. Any assistance dog.
5. Anything that makes the journey easier for them.
6. A mobile number the driver can call on the day.

Our honest position

We want every passenger to have a good journey. We will always be straight with you about what our cars can do. If we can't provide the right vehicle for a specific need, we will tell you before you book rather than on the day.

Book or ask

If you know what you need, book online and add your notes. You will see a fixed price straight away. If you would rather talk it through first, call us on 0161 660 4006 or email booking@findcab.uk.