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Passengers with reduced mobility

Is your mobility reduced as a result of a disability (whether motor-based, visual, hearing or mental), your age or an illness? With Saphir, Air France offers you a wide range of services tailored to your needs. These services are available across the whole Air France network when you travel on flights operated by Air France. Simple reservation procedures, ground assistance and escort at airports, baggage carrying service, special onboard support and equipment, priority baggage delivery... From the moment you set off to the moment you arrive, Air France makes your journey smoother!

With Saphir, Air France offers you a range of services tailored to your special needs.
Making your reservation, ground assistance, medical clearance, wheelchair support, assistance animals... Find all the information you need for complete peace of mind as you prepare for your trip.

Reservation

We advise you to contact a Saphir agent to book your ticket and notify us of your special or particular needs at least 48 hours before your departure. You can either:

contact a Saphir agent by phone: Consult the telephone numbers by country,
complete the Saphir form online or send an e-mail,
a Saphir agent will be in touch by phone as soon as possible,
visit your travel agent.

Assistance

For adult

Do you have a motor-based disability?
You may travel without the aid of a personal safety attendant if you are able to physically contribute to your safe exit from the aircraft in case of an emergency.
Do you have a mental disability?
You may travel without the aid of a personal safety attendant if you are able to understand and apply safety instructions.
If you cannot meet these requirements, you must be accompanied by a personal safety attendant.
Do you have a sensory impairment?
People with both sight or hearing impairments must be accompanied by a personal safety attendant.

For children

If your child has:
- a motor-based disability: If your child can physically contribute to his or her safe exit from the aircraft in case of an emergency, he or she can travel as an unaccompanied minor, supervised by Air France.
- a mental disability or sensory impairment: He or she may travel as an unaccompanied minor, supervised by Air France, if he or she is able to understand and apply safety instructions
Your personal attendant...
- must be a fully autonomous* adult, not requiring assistance of the crew,
- is not permitted to look after a passenger with reduced mobility whilst also accompanying:
  - a child under 4 years old (on flights in France and in the French overseas territories),
  - a child under 5 years old (on international flights),
  - another passenger with reduced mobility (unless the Air France medical service has agreed to this).

*Except in special cases. For further information, please contact a Saphir agent

Medical clearance

Medical clearance will be required:

if you are traveling with a stretcher or incubator,
if, due to your state of health, you may need extraordinary medical assistance during the flight,
if you need oxygen therapy (at a rate of more than 2L/min.) during the flight.

How to obtain medical clearance

Your primary doctor must obtain this certificate from the Air France medical service.
How to go about this:
1. Your doctor fills in a medical information form (MEDIF)
2. To obtain clearance, your doctor sends this form:

to the Air France medical service (if you live in France):
Air France - Service Médical
148 avenue de l´Université
75007 Paris - France
or to the local Air France physician (if you live in another country). Their contact details will be sent to you by a Saphir agent or your travel agency.

3. The medical service determines your fitness to travel and if so, issues your medical clearance*.

MEDIF medical information form

Saphir contact details

* Even if a syringe is empty for the duration of the flight, you are advised to obtain a certificate to ensure that it passes through airport security checks.

Fare reductions

Your special needs may entitle you (and your personal attendant) to reductions on your tickets for:

all domestic flights in mainland France,
Air France flights connecting Paris and the overseas departments.

These reductions will be given:

on presentation of a disability card or Fremec card which specifies "personal attendant mandatory",
if the Air France medical service requests that you be accompanied in order to travel.

Traveling in a wheelchair

Do you use a wheelchair? When you make your reservation, you must specify:

the type of wheelchair you use: electric/manual, folding/non-folding,
its full dimensions and weight in folded position: length x width x height,
the battery type on electric wheelchairs (dry or wet cell).

Assistance animals

Assistance animals are permitted to travel provided they comply with sanitary and customs regulations. Find out more from our booking agents, as some countries apply strict regulations to animal transportation. During the flight, your animal must be kept on its leash, attached to the frame of the seat in front of you. A muzzle is not required.

Special requests

  Therapeutic oxygen : we recommend that you use an oxygen concentrator respiratory device

  When booking, you can request a list of authorized equipment which may be used aboard Air France flights.

Air France can also provide oxygen that you may use during the flight. Please place this request when booking, or 48 hours before departure at the latest. A fee is charged for this service.

Furthermore, we advise you to inquire in advance if you must use another airline company during your trip. The rules regarding the transport/use of this equipment can differ from one company to another.

The transport of personal oxygen tanks in the cabin is authorized on Air France flights, provided that:

- the height does not exceed 65 cm maximum and the weight is less than or equal to 5 kg,

- they are equipped with a safety system that protects against the accidental discharge of their content.

Important: the use of personal oxygen tanks is prohibited on board, as well as their transport in the hold. We also wish to alert you to the difficulties that may arise when passing through security checkpoints in certain airports.

Remember to make any special requests when booking your trip!

Therapeutic oxygen
If you have breathing difficulties, you may use therapeutic oxygen on board*. Please remember to request this when you make your reservation.
Special diets
A special meal can be served onboard: salt-free, sugar-free, gluten-free, etc. This service is available on most flights of over two-and-a-half hours. Remember to request this when you make your reservation, at least 48 hours prior to departure.
Visually-impaired or deaf/hard-of-hearing passengers
If you require special assistance at the airport, remember to request this when you make your reservation.
Visually-impaired or deaf/hard-of-hearing passengers
If you require special assistance at the airport, remeber to request this when you make your reservation, or at least 48 hours prior to your flight.

* A fee will be charged for this service.