Vision and Hearing Assistance
Services - At the Airport and Inflight
Service Animals
Blind or Low Vision
Deaf or Hard of Hearing
Seating Accommodations
Family Member Airport Escort
Alaska Airlines and Horizon Air are pleased to provide assistance for our travelers who are blind or have low vision, and/or are deaf or hard of hearing.
To provide the optimal experience for our travelers, it is recommended that all travelers:
- Make their reservations as early as possible. The service(s) can be requested online or over the phone.
- Arrive at the airport at least 2 hours prior to departure when requesting these services.
- Advise a Customer Service Agent (CSA) of any special requirements when checking in at the airport.
Please note: We do not require information concerning the nature of a disability. However, the more information we have about you and any special requirements you have, the better prepared we can be to meet your needs when you arrive at the airport. In addition to this information page, our Reservations Agents will be happy to discuss your specific needs when you call.
Services
At the Airport
Service is provided:
- To/from the gate
- On/off the aircraft
- To/from connecting flights
Please inform the Customer Service Agent (CSA) upon arrival at the airport of all required services, including transfer assistance and/or deplaning at a connecting/arrival point, so we can arrange for a wheelchair to be available when you arrive.
Please note: CSAs cannot wait with a traveler or provide help with ground transportation. If additional escort assistance is required, we recommend that our customers consider traveling with a ticketed attendant.
Inflight
Many times it is difficult to identify a traveler who may have difficulty hearing and/or seeing instructions in the case of an emergency. It is recommended that a traveler contact an agent at the gate or a flight attendant onboard the aircraft and communicate any concerns. If we are informed, we will gladly work with a traveler to establish an effective means of communication.
Services provided:
- Individual safety briefing to any traveler whose disability prevents him or her from receiving information presented in the general briefing
- Assistance with loading and retrieving carry-on items
- Assistance with opening packages
- Assistance with identifying food
- Assistance to/from restroom
Please note, we are unable to provide:
- Medical services or administration of medication
- Assistance with eating
- Assistance within restroom
Service Animals
- There is no additional charge to travel with a working service animal.
- Travelers accompanied by a service animal may ship their animal's kennel as a checked bag free of charge.
- Properly harnessed service animals may sit at the traveler's feet, unless the service animal is too large.
- We will make every attempt to sit a customer traveling with a service animal in a row with the most legroom.
- Window seating is also recommended so the service animal is safe from foot traffic.
Note: Guide/Service dogs that meet the State of Hawaii entry requirements may accompany a traveler with a disability to/from Hawaii without Quarantine. Emotional Support animals that do not fall into the State of Hawaii Department of Agriculture definitions of a guide or service dog will not be allowed to travel.
If travel includes destinations outside the United States, it is important to note that some countries have restrictions on animals transiting through or destined for their country. A Reservations Agent will be glad to check a specific itinerary for any restrictions that may apply.
Please note: A service animal must occupy the traveler's space and cannot obstruct aisles or areas that must remain clear for emergency evacuation. If the service animal does not fit the area available, the CSA will:
- Find an alternate flight with more room for the traveler and the service animal; or,
- If the service animal is not needed during the flight, provide a kennel and transfer the service animal to the climate-controlled cargo area of the aircraft. The animal will be immediately returned to the traveler upon deplaning. There is no additional charge for service animals that travel in the cargo area of the aircraft.
Alaska Airlines will accept service animals in training provided ALL of the following conditions are met:
- The service animal is being transported by a trainer to the new owner/handler's home.
- The trainer can identify the new owner's/handler's name and home city.
- The trainer can provide documentation on official letterhead noting the service animal has successfully completed training.
Blind or Low Vision
In addition to this information page, and the ability to request blind and low vision assistance online, each aircraft has emergency evacuation Braille cards. A Flight Attendant will provide the traveler with the Braille card.
Deaf or Hard of Hearing
In addition to this information page, and the ability to request deaf or hard of hearing assistance online, customers can reach us through TTY/TDD at 1-800-682-2221 for Alaska Airlines or at 1-800-843-1338 for Horizon Air. Our agents can assist with making reservations, adding service requests to a reservation, and answering questions concerning your trip.
There are also TTY phones located throughout most airports.
Seating Accommodations
We offer specific seating accommodations for customers with certain types of disabilities. Customers who are entitled to special seating include:
- Travelers who use an aisle chair to board the aircraft
- Travelers who cannot readily transfer over a fixed aisle armrest
- A person traveling with an attendant who will be assisting that individual during the flight
- A person traveling with a service animal
- A traveler with a fused or immobilized leg
- A traveler using onboard medical oxygen (not available on Horizon Air)
Alaska Airlines aircraft are subject to federal accessibility requirements for customers with disabilities. Depending on aircraft type and age, additional movable aisle armrests are available beyond the specific reserved seats for disabled travelers.
Family Member Airport Escort
A traveler who prefers to have a family member escort him or her to a departure or arrival gate should note the following policies:
- One or two adults, plus any children under age 13, will be allowed through the security checkpoint.
- Each non-traveling person must obtain a Security Pass from the ticket counter in order to be allowed access through the security checkpoint.
- Due to additional airport security, persons should allow up to two hours to obtain a Security Pass.
- Security Passes may not be available when traveling to Canada and Mexico due to customs and immigration requirements.
Please note: The Transportation Security Administration has the authority to suspend issuance of security passes to non-traveling persons at any time.
