Mobilni skuteri odobreni od zrakoplovnih prijevoznika

Whether your mobility scooter can travel with you is decided by the airline. No single certificate makes a scooter acceptable on every flight, so treat the scooters listed here as a starting point: each airline checks the scooter and its battery against its own conditions before agreeing to carry it.

This page covers the information airlines usually ask for, how battery rules affect what you can take, and what to confirm before you book. For how different scooters fold, see folding mobility scooters; for the wider range, see all mobility scooters.

What "airline approved" means

Airline approved is shorthand, not an official standard. Under the dangerous goods rules airlines follow, a battery-powered mobility aid needs the approval of the airline you are flying with, and passengers are advised to arrange this in advance. Wording such as airline-friendly on a product page describes features that can help, such as a lithium battery that can be removed. It does not mean an airline has agreed to carry that scooter.

The battery details airlines ask for

The battery is usually the first thing an airline checks. Have these details ready for the exact model and battery you are buying:

• the battery type, such as lithium-ion
• the watt-hour (Wh) rating of each battery
• how many batteries the scooter uses, and whether you will carry a spare
• whether the battery can be removed, and how the power is disconnected
• confirmation that the lithium battery meets the UN 38.3 test requirements, if the airline asks for it

If a specification gives volts (V) and amp-hours (Ah) but no watt-hours, multiply the two: a 24 V, 10 Ah battery works out at 240 Wh. Treat that as a working figure, and give the airline the rating printed on the battery or in the manufacturer's documents where one is stated.

Installed and removable batteries

Airlines handle scooter batteries in one of two ways. Some allow the battery to stay fitted, provided it is protected by the scooter's design and securely attached. Others require it to be removed, following the manufacturer's instructions, and carried in the passenger cabin.

The current IATA guidance for passengers on mobility aids limits removed batteries to a total of 300 Wh, and spare batteries to a cumulative 300 Wh per mobility aid, carried in the cabin with the terminals protected against short circuit. Airlines apply these rules through their own policies, which differ, so check the limits your airline uses rather than relying on a general figure.

Size, weight and handling details

Airline and airport staff also need to know how to handle the scooter. The UK Civil Aviation Authority advises giving the airline the make, model, weight, size and battery details of your mobility aid, telling it whether the aid folds or comes apart and how, and bringing the operating manual. It also helps to know how to put the scooter into freewheel mode, so it can be pushed with the power off.

Before you book a flight

• Collect the model name, battery type, watt-hour rating, weight and folded dimensions.
• Contact the airline when you book. The CAA recommends requesting assistance at booking, or at least 48 hours before departure.
• Ask whether the battery may stay fitted or must be removed, and whether a spare battery is allowed.
• Check the conditions of every airline on your trip, including connecting and return flights.
• Keep a copy of what the airline confirms, so you can show it at check-in.

What Welzo listings show

Each product page shows the specifications Welzo holds for that model. Many list the battery's voltage and amp-hours; listings do not currently show a watt-hour rating, and some give amp-hours without the voltage. If you plan to fly, confirm the battery rating before you order. Welzo does not approve scooters or batteries for air travel, and acceptance rests with your airline.

Before you buy, confirm

• the battery type and its watt-hour rating, or the voltage and amp-hours to calculate it
• how many batteries the scooter uses, and the rating of any spare
• whether the battery is removable and how the power is disconnected
• whether the manufacturer's documents cover UN 38.3 testing, if your airline asks for it
• the scooter's weight with and without the battery
• the folded dimensions
• how to fold the scooter and engage freewheel mode
• that the specification applies to the option you select, including any larger battery

Air travel FAQs

Does "airline approved" mean an airline must accept my scooter?

No. Each airline decides whether to carry a mobility scooter and its battery on a given flight, based on its own policy and the dangerous goods rules it follows. A model accepted by one airline still needs approval from the next.

How do I work out my battery's watt-hours?

Multiply the voltage by the amp-hours. A 24 V, 6.6 Ah battery works out at 158.4 Wh, and a 36 V, 10.4 Ah battery at 374.4 Wh. Where the battery or the manufacturer's documents state a watt-hour rating, give the airline that figure.

When should I contact the airline?

As early as you can. The CAA recommends requesting assistance when you book, or at least 48 hours before departure. Airlines set their own notice periods for mobility aids, so check yours, and contact every airline on your itinerary.

Will the battery have to come out?

That depends on the airline and the scooter. An airline may let a protected, securely fitted battery stay in place, or ask for it to be removed and carried in the cabin. A scooter with a removable battery gives you that option, but the removed battery still has to fall within the airline's watt-hour limit.

Can I take a spare battery?

Only with the airline's agreement. IATA's guidance allows spare batteries up to a cumulative 300 Wh per mobility aid, carried in the cabin with the terminals protected. Your airline may apply its own limits, so confirm before you travel.

Will the airline charge to carry my scooter?

The CAA says you can bring up to two mobility items free of charge for your trip. Check how your airline applies this when you book.