Accessible travel services

We do not offer curbside skycap service at most airport locations. If you need wheelchair assistance, we ask that you have someone go into the airport and let one of our representatives know you are here. We suggest arriving at the airport at least 2 hours prior to scheduled departure. Some airports may direct you to a meeting area where your escort will be called to provide assistance.

Inform your customer service agent at the airport of all services required, including transfer assistance and/or deplaning at a connecting/arrival location. We will need to arrange for wheelchair assistance at each location.

Please note that while customer service agents and/or wheelchair escorts can assist you to the baggage claim, in-terminal rental car counter, or curbside, they cannot wait with you or provide help with ground transportation. If you require additional assistance, we recommend traveling with a ticketed safety assistant.

Wheelchair assistance in Ketchikan Alaska: If you require the use of a wheelchair from the airport, we encourage you to also make arrangements for wheelchair service between the airport and the ferry terminal. You can make these arrangements in advance with Ketchikan Senior Services by calling 907-225-6575, or you can use a taxi service.

If you need assistance getting onto the aircraft, we offer the following options:

• Lift/Ramp - a boarding and deplaning method for those who are unable to climb or walk down stairs.
• Aisle chairs, slings and slide boards for making transfers

If you need these services we suggest you arrive at the gate for boarding 45 minutes prior to your departure to allow for preboarding and stowage of your baggage.

View boarding experience by airport

All of our aircraft are equipped with onboard wheelchairs for customers who need assistance to and from the lavatory. Additionally, we are happy to offer the following services:

• 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

Our inflight crews are not able to:

• Provide medical services or administer medication
• Assist with eating
• Assist within the lavatory
• Lift or carry customers

If you require assistance beyond what we can offer, we recommend traveling with a ticketed safety assistant.

Alaska Airlines accepts certain battery-powered mobility aids used by a guest with a disability. The mobility aid must have a single physical means of power disconnection to prevent unintentional activation. Examples of power disconnection include:

• Key turning to off position and removed
• Securing the device "on/off" switch to the "off" position
• Quick disconnection of the joystick on a wheelchair
• Removing the battery and isolating the terminals

Alaska must be able to access the battery to determine that it is acceptable for transportation. The battery label must be legible and in English. The battery must not show signs of any defects or damage. If the device does not have an effective means of preventing unintentional activation, the battery must be disconnected, and the terminals protected from short circuit. In these cases, we recommend the guest provide disconnection instructions on the Wheelchair Information form so that our Agents can easily disassemble/reassemble as needed.

Alaska airlines does not accept the following items as mobility aids:

• Hoverboards and self-balancing devices
• Skateboards
• Riding suitcases
• Inline scooters/kick scooters
• E-bikes
• Any mobility aid not for use by guest with disability
• Batteries labeled in language other than English
• Any device powered by damaged, defective, or recalled batteries due to safety
• Any device unable to be disconnected from power source or excluded by HAZMAT requirements (in accordance with 14 CFR 382.125(b)

Spillable batteries
If a mobility aid is powered by a spillable battery (e.g. wet cell battery), the battery must be removed and placed in a protective battery box, as required by federal HAZMAT safety regulations, unless a battery powered wheelchair with a spillable battery can be loaded, stored, secured, and unloaded in an upright condition.

Non-spillable batteries (e.g. gel or dry cell batteries)
A non-spillable battery must be permanently marked by the manufacturer with the words "NONSPILLABLE" or "NONSPILLABLE BATTERY" on the outside of the battery. If it does not and the guest believes it to be a dry sealed battery, we recommend bringing a copy of the manufacturer's safety data or technical sheet explaining the battery's hazmat classification. If the non-spillable battery is securely attached to the mobility aid, protected from short circuit, and the device has a single means of protecting itself from unintentional activation (key turned to "off" and removed, on/off switch in the "off" position, quick disconnection of the joystick, etc.), the battery may remain installed. Non-spillable batteries not installed or securely attached must be transported as checked baggage and packaged in strong, rigid packaging marked "NONSPILLABLE", "NONSPILLABLE BATTERY", or "Not Restricted" and the battery terminals must be protected from short circuit. Guests may bring one "spare" non-spillable battery. Spare non-spillable batteries must also be transported as checked baggage.

Lithium-Ion (Li-ion) batteries
Mobility aids where the battery is fully enclosed and can’t be easily removed, or the mobility aid has a battery that exceeds 300 watt-hours will not be accepted for transport.
The battery must be easily removed and transported separately as carryon baggage in the passenger cabin. The battery terminals must be protected from short circuit. There is a single battery size limit of 300 watt-hours (Wh). If the device utilizes two batteries, each battery cannot exceed 160 Wh. A maximum of one spare battery not exceeding 300 Wh or two spares not exceeding 160 Wh each may be carried onboard.
The battery’s size in watt-hours must be displayed on the battery, or the battery should be labeled with its voltage and amp-hour (or milliamp-hour) ratings to allow for size calculation (see formula below) if needed. Any spare batteries must be transported as carryon baggage with the battery terminals protected to prevent short circuit.
Some Li-ion batteries do not display the watt-hour rating on the battery label. The following formulas may be used to determine the watt-hours rating for a Lithium-ion battery:
If the battery lists the Amp-hour rating, use this formula:

Volts (V) x Amp-hours (Ah) = Watt-hours (Wh)
Example for a single battery:
10 volts multiplied by 24 Amp-hours = 240 watt-hours
The 240 watt-hours are below the 300 watt-hour limit for a single battery, so the battery would be allowed.

If the battery lists the Milliamp-hour rating, use this formula instead:
Volts (V) x Milliamp-hours (mAh) ÷ 1,000 = Watt-hours (Wh)

Please note: Despite the claims of some manufacturers, there are no “FAA-approved,” “ICAO-approved” or “IATA-approved” batteries, or approved batteries from other regulating agencies.

You will find it helpful to print out the wheelchair information form and complete it before coming to the airport. Please hand it to one of our employees when you present your assistive device.

• A personal wheelchair can be checked at the ticket counter or the gate free of charge.
• Passengers can use our wheelchair equipment after checking a personal wheelchair; you may be directed to a meeting area where an escort will be called to provide assistance
• Detachable items such as seat cushions and footrests can be carried onboard or checked with the wheelchair and stowed in the cargo compartment.
• Alternately, arrangements can be made to have your personal wheelchair checked at the departure gate. The wheelchair will be returned at the destination gate upon arrival or at a connecting airport.
• If you prefer to use your personal wheelchair at the connecting airport, please advise your customer service agent at the ticket counter or boarding gate in advance. Time between connecting flights may be insufficient to provide this service if disassembly and re-assembly of a personal wheelchair is required. If time is a factor, we recommend taking advantage of our wheelchair service for transport between connecting flights.

In order to safely board you and your wheelchair or assistive device, we strongly recommend that you arrive at the airport at least 2 hours prior to departure. We ask that you be checked in two hours prior to departure and suggest you be available at the gate to preboard at least 45 minutes prior to the posted departure for all flights.

• If you are transporting electric/battery-powered wheelchairs, carts, or scooters we ask that you be checked in two hours prior to departure and suggest you are available to board at least 45 minutes before posted departure for all flights.
• If you are transporting any other type of non-electric/non-battery-powered wheelchairs, carts, or scooters, you must be checked in and you must be available to board at least 30 minutes before posted departure for all flights.

• You can request to have your folding, collapsible, or breakdown wheelchair stowed onboard the aircraft at time of pre-boarding on Alaska Airlines flights 1-1499.
• The number of personal wheelchairs is limited to one personal wheelchair in cabin per flight and this space is provided on a first-come, first-serve basis.
• The wheelchair must meet the size and weight restrictions for the approved storage space on the aircraft.
• Wheelchairs stowed onboard have priority over other carry-on items.
• If your wheelchair will not fit safely in the approved stowage closet, we will be glad to transport it in the cargo compartment at no additional charge.

The following maximum weight and dimension limitations apply by aircraft type as listed below:

• Boeing–500 lbs. (226 kg) / 34" (86 cm) in height by 45" (114 cm) in width
• Embraer–300 lbs. (136 kg) / 33" (84 cm) in height by 39" (99 cm) in width
  Note: This aircraft type can accommodate only one (1) battery-powered mobility aid weighing over 50 lbs. per flight. Please contact our Accessible Services Team to verify available space. You can reach us at 1-800-503-0101 (dial 711 for relay services).

Rigid canes must be stowed in a closet or overhead bin. When required, please contact a flight attendant who will be happy to retrieve it.

If your assistive device will not fit safely in the approved stowage closet, we will be glad to transport it in the cargo compartment at no additional charge.