Bringing your own wheelchair
Making a reservation
Are you travelling with your own electric or manual wheelchair? We’ll transport it for you free of charge. Make sure to request the transport by contacting us at least 48 hours before departure. We can only transport a limited number of wheelchairs per flight, depending on the aircraft type and the size and weight of your wheelchair.
Transport for Mobility Aids brochure
The Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management developed this brochure to help you understand your rights and responsibilities when travelling with a mobility aid by air. It contains all the information to ensure safe and smooth transport.
You can choose to bring your wheelchair with you in the cabin or transport it in the hold. Make sure to arrive at the airport at least 2,5 hours before departure of your European flight or 3,5 hours before departure of your intercontinental flight.
In the cabin
You can bring a manual wheelchair with you in the cabin if it’s foldable or collapsible. The folded wheelchair should meet the size and weight requirements for hand baggage: maximum L55 x W35 x H25 cm and maximum 12 kg.
Make sure to be at the departure gate at the pre-boarding time provided to you by our ground staff.
Limited space on board
Please note that we have limited space for wheelchairs in the cabin. If there’s no space left, we may need to check it in at the gate. Of course, this is free of charge. We’ll make sure there’s an airport wheelchair brought to you at the gate when you get off the aircraft.
In the hold
You can transport your wheelchair as checked baggage if it meets the size and weight requirements:
- Airbus A330s: maximum L152 x W139 x H149 cm, no maximum weight
- Boeing 737s: maximum L112 x W113 x H85 cm, no maximum weight
- Boeing 777s and 787s: maximum L152 x W139 x H149 cm, no maximum weight
- Embraer 175s, 190s, and 195-E2s: maximum L120 x W100 x H80 cm and maximum 149 kg
Please check in your manual wheelchair at least 2,5 hours prior to departure of your European flight or 3,5 hours before departure of your intercontinental flight. After checking in your wheelchair, you can make use of our airport wheelchairs. Our wheelchairs are not suitable for manual use, and thus 1 of our agents or your travel companion will have to push it for you.
Keeping your wheelchair until the gate
If you prefer keeping your wheelchair with you until you’re at the departure gate, please indicate this when making your reservation. Your wheelchair will then be loaded into the aircraft once you arrive at the gate.
On arrival, we do our utmost best to return your wheelchair to you at the gate. If this is not possible, you can collect it next to your flight's baggage belt. An airport wheelchair will be available to bring you there.
Transferring
Unfortunately, when you have a connection time of less than 3 hours, you cannot use your own wheelchair at the airport. In that case, your wheelchair will be transferred directly to the next flight. You can make use of our airport wheelchairs during your transfer.
If you have more than 3 hours of transfer time between your flights, we’ll make sure that your own wheelchair is ready for you at the gate. Note that you have to request this service at least 48 hours in advance. Some airports don’t allow this service, unfortunately.
Your electric or battery-powered wheelchair can only be transported in the hold. It should meet the following size and weight requirements:
- Airbus A330s: maximum L152 x W139 x H149 cm, no maximum weight
- Boeing 737s: maximum L112 x W113 x H85 cm, no maximum weight
- Boeing 777s and 787s: maximum L152 x W139 x H149 cm, no maximum weight
- Embraer 175s, 190s, and 195-E2s: maximum L120 x W100 x H80 cm and maximum 149 kg
Make sure to arrive at the airport at least 3 hours prior to departure of your European flight or 4 hours before departure of your intercontinental flight. After checking in your wheelchair, you can use one of the wheelchairs available at the airport. Our wheelchairs are not suitable for manual use, and thus 1 of our agents or your travel companion will have to push it for you.
If you’re dependable on your own wheelchair, please reach out to us so we can check which arrangements we can make for you.
Packing your wheelchair
To help us prevent damage to your wheelchair, we ask you to transport all of its detachable parts, such as cushions and footrests, in your hand baggage. These items will be considered additional permitted hand baggage. If detaching these parts is not possible, we ask you to tape these to the wheelchair.
Depending on the type of wheelchair, we may also ask you to disconnect the batteries or power cables and isolate the terminals, to prevent short circuits.
Frequently asked questions
Nothing! Wheelchair assistance at KLM is free of charge.
Yes. You can bring a manual wheelchair with you in the cabin if it’s foldable or collapsible.
- Maximum weight: 12 kg
- Maximum size: 55 x 35 x 25 cm
If the storage space is full, we will check your wheelchair in at the gate at no extra charge. We’ll make sure an airport wheelchair is brought to you when you get off the airplane, and an agent is available to push it for you.
Electric wheelchairs can’t be transported in the cabin. You can check them in.
Please leave plenty of time to check in your wheelchair!
- For European flights, at least 2.5 hours before departure for manual wheelchairs and 3 hours before departure for electric wheelchairs.
- For intercontinental flights, at least 3.5 hours before departure for manual wheelchairs and 4 hours before departure for electric wheelchairs.
After you drop off your wheelchair, you can make use of our airport wheelchairs. They’re not suitable for manual use, so one of our agents will be available to push you.