Air Canada has introduced an updated policy regarding mobility aids, allowing passengers to bring up to three aids without any additional charges. This adjustment aims to provide more flexibility to travelers using mobility aids or carrying adaptive sports equipment.
Meghan Hines, chair of Air Canada’s accessibility advisory committee, emphasized the significance of this policy in enabling individuals with disabilities to travel without the need to justify their requirements. She highlighted that the equipment carried by travelers with disabilities, including Para athletes, are essential extensions of their bodies, not merely additional luggage.
Under the new policy, eligible items may include personal mobility aids, adaptive sports equipment, patient lifts, and similar transfer devices. If a device is too large to accompany the passenger on the same aircraft, Air Canada will transport it via cargo within Canada at no extra cost.
Hines further noted that the policy acknowledges the diverse accessibility needs of individuals with disabilities, ensuring they can travel with necessary equipment without facing uncertainties or needing special permissions.
Rachael Pinnock, chief commercial and impact officer at the Canadian Paralympic Committee, praised the initiative, stating that it will significantly enhance travel convenience and affordability for athletes across different levels of sports participation.
This move by Air Canada aligns with its commitment to engaging with and learning from the Para sport community. It comes in the wake of the Canadian transport regulator instructing WestJet to remove its weight cap on mobility aids by July 2027, following concerns about imposing barriers on travelers with disabilities. The regulator recommended interim solutions for WestJet to address weight distribution issues for power wheelchairs until the weight cap is eliminated.
