Special Assistance
Passengers Requiring Assistance
Do you require our assistance to board? In this section you will find information on:
Carriage of Blind or Hearing Impaired Passengers
Blind/hearing impaired passengers are covered under the following categories:
Unescorted (Sight or Hearing Impaired Passengers).
Those passengers travelling unescorted receiving standard discounted fares, with no concessional discounts offered.
Unescorted Passengers With Guide Dog (Sight or Hearing Impaired Passengers).
Those passengers travelling with a “Guide Dog”. A “Guide Dog” may accompany a blind passenger on all flights provided the animal is muzzled and suitably harnessed so that it is under the control of the owner. No concessional discounts are offered, the standard discounted fares apply depending upon availability.
Escorted Sight Impaired Passenger Without Guide Dog (Sight Impaired Passengers).
Those passengers travelling escorted receiving the standard discounted fares. When there are no discounted fares available, a 50% (fare basis BL50) discounted fare is offered to both the passenger and the escort.
NOTE This does not apply to hearing impaired passengers.
Escorted Sight Impaired Passenger With Guide Dog (Sight Impaired Passengers).
Escort may purchase either a 50% discount (BL50) off the full adult fare or purchase any discounted fare.
Escorted Hearing Impaired Passenger With Guide Dog (Hearing Impaired Passengers).
Both hearing impaired passenger and escort receive no special concession and may purchase any fare available.
Carriage of Persons, Ill, Injured, Infirm or with a Disability
(including Wheelchair Passengers)
It is Skywest Airlines policy that passengers who are ill, injured, infirm or disabled may be carried on Company aircraft provided:
- The passenger can be seated and is not a stretcher case.
- A Customer Medical Support Form is produced by the passenger showing:
- the nature of the illness, injury, infirmity or disability;
- the passenger is able to travel at any altitude;
- the passenger is able to care for himself/herself unaided during flight (if the passenger is unable to care for himself/herself, he/she must be accompanied by a suitably qualified attendant whose name and qualifications must be shown on the medical certificate).
Carriage of Wheelchair Passengers
It is Skywest policy to assist wheelchair passengers in making their reservation and inflight, taking the utmost care and responsibility to ensure the passenger is a safe and comfortable traveller. Wheelchair services must be offered from terminal to aircraft on departure, and from aircraft to terminal on arrival. The passenger has the right to refuse assistance from Skywest staff.
All types of collapsible (non-batterypowered) wheelchairs, size permitting, will be carried on Skywest Airlines services free of excess baggage charges. Passengers’ own wheelchairs may only be uplifted in the aircraft hold. Passengers must use a Skywest Airlines wheelchair for boarding and disembarking procedures as airline supplied wheelchairs have special features that allow the wheelchair to be wheeled down the aircraft aisle.
Information for Travel Agents
Wheelchair passenger codes:
- WCHR - Passenger can manage aircraft steps and make own way unaided to their seat
- WCHS - Passenger cannot manage steps but is able to make their own way to their seat
- WCHC - Passenger is immobile and must be lifted on/off the aircraft and to/from their seat*
*IMPORTANT - Immobile passengers must travel with a carer/companion at all times. Please contact the Customer Service Centre on 1300 66 00 88 for assistance with these bookings.
Carriage of Medical Cases requiring Oxygen
Customers requiring oxygen inflight can travel on Skywest Airlines. Before acceptance of air travel, the passenger’s physician must complete a Skywest Medical Support Request. This form must be faxed to Skywest Special Handling on 9477 8383. The Form must be kept in the customer or attending escort’s possession and be available to airline personnel on request.
Information for Agents:
When making a reservation for a passenger requiring oxygen, the following procedures must be followed.
- Ensure the passenger is aware that it is their responsibility to obtain their oxygen through BOC or another source and that only the BOC oxypack restraint bag is acceptable to house a C size cylinder.
- Ensure that the passenger is aware that their physician completes a Customer Medical Support Form (Form XR/OD71).
- Enter details that oxygen is required in the PNR for the attention of the airports involved.
Skywest Airlines no longer supply oxypacks. For passengers who do not own personal C size portable cylinders, Skywest has an arrangement with BOC to hire aviation approved oxygen cylinders. These cylinders with the approved restraint bag can be home delivered by calling BOC on 1800 050 999.
Should a passenger wish to carry their own portable cylinder, they are exempt from Dangerous Goods Regulations provided they comply with the following conditions.
- The oxygen cylinder will be carried in a BOC Gases Oxycare travel pack.
- The cylinder has a maximum gross weight not exceeding 5kgs.
- The cylinder has a gas capacity of no more than 490 litres / BOC size C cylinder.
Carriage of Infants, Accompanied / Unaccompanied Children and Expectant Mothers
Carriage of Infants
Within Australia an infant is deemed to be a child under 2 years of age, and there is no charge for the carriage of an infant provided that the infant is nursed during the flight, i.e. no seat is specifically allocated for the infants use.
An adult or an escort accompanies all infants. The accompanying party must be at least fifteen (15) years of age or over. Where the parent of the infant is aged less than fifteen (15) years, travel will be permitted.
All infants under three (3) months of age must travel in the company of a parent or guardian. Should a parent or guardian wish to purchase an additional seat for use by an infant, the infant must be able to sit upright (without assistance) in the aircraft seat and be suitably restrained on all occasions when the seat belt sign is on. In this case the infant is to be charged a child’s fare.
Should a passenger have two infants under the age of two (2) years, the only acceptable means of travel is for one infant to occupy a seat as above, and the other infant be nursed. A child’s fare is to be charged for the second infant.
Baby Seats
Baby/infant seats are approved for use on all Skywest Airlines aircraft provided an extra seat has been bought and the seat complies with one of the certain design standards.
Carriage of Accompanied Children
For domestic services operated within Australia, a child is deemed to be a passenger aged between 2 and 11 years inclusive.
Children must accompanied by an adult or escort, aged twelve (12) years or over.
Carriage of Unaccompanied Children
It is Skywest Airlines policy that children aged between five (5) and eleven (11) years of age inclusive, travelling without supervision of a passenger twelve (12) years of age and over is considered an unaccompanied minor and will be treated as such in accordance with the unaccompanied minor regulations.
Passengers aged from twelve (12) to fourteen (14) years of age inclusive may travel as an unaccompanied child if so requested by the parent/guardian.
The Skywest Agent must gain assurance from the parent/guardian that they will adhere to the following requirements.
- The sender will remain at the airport until the aircraft on which the child is travelling has departed.
- The receiver will be available at the airport to meet the child upon arrival of the aircraft.
- Where appropriate, the person nominated by the sender to care for the unaccompanied child during a transit/transfer will be available.
Connecting flight itinerary through Perth.
In circumstances where a child has a transit/transfer time of less than two (2) hours duration at Perth, supervision will be provided by the Perth Skywest Agent. Should any transfer/transit exceed two (2) hours, arrangements should be made for a third party to care for the child during the stopover. This party could be a family member, or friend of the family.
Should nobody be available, arrangements should be made through Skywest Reservations to supply a Skywest staff member to care for the child, and permission be obtained from the parent/guardian for this procedure. Any costs involved in supplying a Skywest staff member will be the responsibility of the parent/guardian.
Full names, addresses, telephone contacts both business and after hours of the sender, carer and receiver shall be entered in the unaccompanied child’s reservation.
Carriage of Expectant Mothers
It is Skywest Airlines policy that medical clearances or certificates are not required in cases of pregnancy regardless of the duration of confinement. Pregnancy beyond the 35th week is usually considered unsuitable for air travel.
Special Circumstances (including carriage of Prisoners, Firearms)
Carriage of Prisoners
All persons in custody travelling on Skywest Airlines aircraft must be accompanied by an approved escort with the exception of those prisoners travelling under an exemption issued by the Department of Transport to travel unescorted.
A maximum of two (2) persons in custody travelling with an escort may be carried per flight. There is no limit to persons in custody travelling unescorted.
Persons who have been convicted or who are in the process of being charged with an act of terrorism eg. aircraft hijack will not be carried on Skywest Airlines aircraft under any circumstances.
It is at the discretion of Skywest Airlines to refuse to carry persons in custody or to impose additional restrictions for carriage if considered necessary. The relevant Government Department should contact Skywest Airlines Special Handling prior to travel to complete a Persons in Custody Authorisation Form (Form XR/OD96) and for further information.
Armed escorts are not permitted and under no circumstances are any firearms to be carried in the aircraft cabin or cockpit
Apart from provisions outlined it remains the responsibility of all authorities concerned to ensure that no passenger who is likely to constitute a hazard will travel on a Skywest Airlines aircraft.
Carriage of Firearms and Ammunition or Implements of War as Registered Baggage
Unloaded firearms as registered baggage in passenger aircraft are permitted on the condition that they are inoperative and are handed to the agent and not available to the passenger at any stage of the journey with Skywest Airlines. Ammunition up to 5kgs loaded separately may be carried as registered baggage.
Pre-boarding check-list:
If you require assistance to board a Skywest flight; please ensure that you are ready to board at the Passenger Assistance area at least 30 minutes prior to departure. Your assistance with this allows us to provide you the best possible service.
- Please ensure that you have used all conveniences and purchased any items required on the flight prior to boarding.
- If you use a wheelchair, please see Skywest Check-In to be transferred into a Skywest wheelchair for boarding.
- Be ready to board at the Passenger Assistance area at least 30 minutes prior to departure.
- Please have your boarding card ready.
Thank you for your assistance and we wish you a most enjoyable flight.