All airlines Asia Pacific
Air Tahiti Nui
Powered chairs need the airline’s prior approval · carried free · 48 h notice.
- Advance notice
- 48hours before departure
- Powered wheelchair
- Conditional
- Lithium, battery installed
- Not published
- Cost to carry
- Free
Who to contact
Transcribed from the airline’s own pages, exactly as it labels them.
- PhoneFrench Polynesia — Air Tahiti Nui call center (Papeete)Mon-Fri 8am-4.30pm, Sat 8am-12pm
- PhoneUSA & Canada — Reservations Call Center (toll free)Mon-Fri 6am-5.30pm, Sat-Sun 9am-2pm PST
- PhoneUSA & Canada — Reservations Call Center for callers outside the USAMon-Fri 6am-5.30pm, Sat-Sun 9am-2pm PST
- PhoneFrance, Belgium & Luxembourg — Reservations & passenger informationMon-Sat 08:00-20:00 including public holidays
- PhoneAustralia — Customer Call CentreMon-Fri 8:00am-9:00pm
- PhoneNew Zealand — Customer Call CentreMon-Sat 8:00am-9:00pm
- PhoneJapan — Tokyo office (reservations line)
- PhoneUnited Kingdom & Ireland — Airline Business APG
- EmailFrance — Reservations & passenger information
- EmailAustralia — Customer Call Centre
- EmailNew Zealand — Customer Call Centre
- EmailUnited Kingdom & Ireland — Reservations
- Online form
No dedicated disability telephone line, no TTY/text-relay and no WhatsApp are published — assistance is requested online at booking, through Manage My Booking, or through the ordinary country call centres listed above. Air Tahiti Nui flies to Los Angeles and cites "U.S. DOT Part 382 Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights", but publishes no Complaints Resolution Official name, phone number or e-mail address anywhere on its US site (us.airtahitinui.com serves the same page as the global site).
Read it from the source
Powered wheelchairs & batteries
The part that goes wrong. Battery chemistry and watt-hours decide whether your chair flies, and the rules differ depending on whether the battery can be removed.
Carried free and with no size or weight limit, but the restricted-items page prints "Caution: The airline's prior approval is required" against every mobility-aid battery category, and the disability page warns the request "may be declined if the battery characteristics of your wheelchair do not meet safety requirements for transportation". "As a general rule, electric wheelchairs need to be checked in as baggage."
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Restricted or prohibited items (mobility-aid battery rules) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Accepted, but "Caution: The airline's prior approval is required". Air Tahiti Nui classes lithium batteries with the dry/"reversible" type, so the battery may stay attached if securely fixed and the electrical circuits are isolated per the manufacturer's instructions; otherwise it must be removed and carried in the cabin. The wheelchair itself travels as checked luggage.
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Restricted or prohibited items (mobility-aid battery rules) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
No watt-hour cap published for a lithium battery that stays installed in the chair — the 300 Wh / 160 Wh figures apply to REMOVED and SPARE batteries. An installed battery must be "adequately protected against damage by the design of the mobility aid and securely attached to the wheelchair" with the circuits isolated.
Restricted or prohibited items (mobility-aid battery rules) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"The removed battery must not exceed 300 Wh. If the mobility aid is powered with two batteries, each battery must not exceed 160 Wh." "Any removed battery(ies) and any spare battery(ies) shall be placed in carry-on luggage."
Restricted or prohibited items (mobility-aid battery rules) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"A passenger may carry a maximum of one spare lithium ion battery with a power rating not exceeding 300 Wh or a maximum of two spare batteries, each battery must not exceed 160 Wh."
Restricted or prohibited items (mobility-aid battery rules) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Maximum 2. Lithium: one spare up to 300 Wh, or two spares of no more than 160 Wh each. Non-spillable/NiMH/dry: one spare wet non-spillable battery, or two spare nickel-metal hydride batteries, or two spare dry batteries. All spares travel in carry-on baggage with terminals protected.
Restricted or prohibited items (mobility-aid battery rules) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
No. For every battery type the rule is "the battery shall be either adequately protected against damage by the design of the mobility aid and securely attached to the wheelchair... OR removed from the mobility aid following the manufacturer's instructions". Removed batteries must travel in the cabin.
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Restricted or prohibited items (mobility-aid battery rules) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Accepted, but "Caution: The airline's prior approval is required". "The battery can remain attached to the wheelchair or mobility equipment if it is securely fixed. Terminals do not need to be disconnected if they are already included in a battery container or isolated to prevent short-circuiting. The motor must be in the 'disengaged' position." Spares: one spare wet non-spillable, or two spare nickel-metal hydride, or two spare dry batteries, in strong rigid packagings.
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Restricted or prohibited items (mobility-aid battery rules) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"Due to potential risks to flight safety, transportation of wheelchairs with non-reversible batteries [ATN's term for wet batteries] requires special precautions and may be declined without prior information. Please inquire about the conditions for transportation when making your reservation." The restricted-items page adds prior airline approval, terminals enclosed in a battery container, spill-resistant vent caps where feasible, and either secure attachment with isolated circuits or removal per the manufacturer's instructions when the aid cannot be kept upright.
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Restricted or prohibited items (mobility-aid battery rules) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Aide aux personnes en situation de handicap ou a mobilite reduite (French original) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"Battery terminals shall be protected from short circuits, e.g. by being enclosed within a battery container." "Terminals do not need to be disconnected if they are already included in a battery container or isolated to prevent short-circuiting. The motor must be in the 'disengaged' position." The electrical circuits must be isolated following the manufacturer's instructions.
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Restricted or prohibited items (mobility-aid battery rules) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
No battery spec sheet, MSDS or manufacturer label is demanded. Air Tahiti Nui only asks you to declare, at booking, the type of wheelchair, its dimensions, its weight and whether it folds, and says "additional information may be required" when travelling with a personal wheelchair.
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
No maximum powered-wheelchair dimensions — Air Tahiti Nui states carriage is "without any size or weight limitations".
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"Air Tahiti Nui offers complimentary transportation for manual or electric wheelchairs and personal mobility equipment, without any size or weight limitations."
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Aide aux personnes en situation de handicap ou a mobilite reduite (French original) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"As a general rule, electric wheelchairs need to be checked in as baggage. They will be returned to you at the baggage claim area." NOTE: the "Assistance upon Arrival" section of the same page promises that "your baggage, wheelchair (if it has been stowed in the hold), and any other mobility equipment will be promptly delivered to you with priority" — the page does not reconcile the two, and the electric-specific text is the stricter one.
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Prior airline approval is required for every mobility-aid battery type. Keep pressure-relief cushions, removable footrests and joystick controllers with you: "we recommend that you keep items such as pressure relief cushions, removable footrests, joystick controllers, etc., in your carry-on or checked baggage to minimize the risk of loss or damage."
Manual wheelchairs
"Air Tahiti Nui offers complimentary transportation for manual or electric wheelchairs and personal mobility equipment, without any size or weight limitations." At booking you must state the type of wheelchair, its dimensions, weight and whether it folds.
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
All Air Tahiti Nui aircraft have "dedicated storage space for folding or collapsible personal manual wheelchairs, adult size (33 x 91 x 107 cm or 13 x 36 x 42 inches)".
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"Dedicated storage space for folding or collapsible personal manual wheelchairs, adult size (33 x 91 x 107 cm or 13 x 36 x 42 inches)" on all aircraft. Air Tahiti Nui prints the three figures without naming the axes; mapped here smallest-to-width. This is the US DOT 13 x 36 x 42 in closet rule.
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
No maximum size for a CHECKED wheelchair — Air Tahiti Nui states carriage is "without any size or weight limitations". The 33 x 91 x 107 cm figure is the in-cabin closet limit, recorded under cabin_stowage_dimensions.
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"Air Tahiti Nui offers complimentary transportation for manual or electric wheelchairs and personal mobility equipment, without any size or weight limitations" (French original: "Il n'y a pas de limite de taille ou de poids").
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Aide aux personnes en situation de handicap ou a mobilite reduite (French original) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"In most airports, you can keep your wheelchair with you until the aircraft gate or boarding gate, if boarding is not directly through an aerobridge. In such cases, your manual wheelchair will be delivered to you upon disembarkation or upon entering the terminal."
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Booking & cost
"For certain types of assistance, such as traveling with a personal wheelchair or a guide dog, additional information may be required... it is crucial to provide these details at the time of booking your ticket, at least 48 hours prior to your scheduled departure." For an electric chair: "We strongly recommend that you make your transportation request at least 48 hours before your flight." Ordinary assistance requests are accepted up to the day of departure. Arrive at the airport 3 hours before departure.
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"You have several options for requesting special assistance: through your designated Air Tahiti Nui sales representative; via your trusted travel agency; online during the booking process or through the 'contact us' section." No disability card is required — "assistance can be requested based on the passenger's declaration of specific needs".
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"Air Tahiti Nui offers complimentary transportation for manual or electric wheelchairs and personal mobility equipment, without any size or weight limitations." "In addition to the baggage allowance associated with your ticket, you are permitted to transport your medical equipment, personal mobility devices, and service animal at no additional cost."
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
No number published. Air Tahiti Nui says "your personal wheelchair and other mobility equipment can be transported in the cargo hold at no extra charge" without capping how many devices.
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Not published. Air Tahiti Nui points to EC Regulation 1107/2006 and "U.S. DOT Part 382 Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights" for your rights but states no wheelchair-specific liability figure or waiver. It only warns: "While we take all necessary precautions to avoid damage, we recommend that you keep items such as pressure relief cushions, removable footrests, joystick controllers, etc., in your carry-on or checked baggage."
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
On board
"All our aircraft are equipped with: Onboard wheelchairs (WCOB) for in-flight mobility." The airline also offers "the use of a wheelchair on board, provided by the airline, when necessary for moving around the cabin".
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"All our aircraft are equipped with... accessible toilets for passengers with reduced mobility." Cabin crew can help you reach the lavatory but "are unable to provide assistance inside the restroom".
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"Our assistance does not extend to tasks such as meal or medication administration, toilet use, or other personal assistance... If you require additional support, we recommend traveling with a companion." A companion may be mandatory where the passenger is both blind and deaf, has a mental disability preventing them from following instructions, or "is unable to move around or feed themselves without assistance, or to attend to their personal needs during the flight".
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"Most of our seats have adjustable armrests", except: fixed centre armrests in Poerava Business and in Manava Premium, and fixed armrests on Moana Economy seats 18 ABC DEF JKL, 31 ABC JKL and 32 DEF. Seats not available for safety reasons: 31 ABC JKL (emergency exits), 1 AB DE KL and 5 BK in Business, 10 BD FK in Premium, and 28/44/45/46 DF in Economy. Priority pre-boarding is offered.
Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Fleet detail. Air Tahiti Nui states that ALL its aircraft (a single-type Boeing 787-9 fleet) carry an on-board wheelchair, an accessible lavatory and a dedicated closet for one folding adult manual wheelchair of 33 x 91 x 107 cm. No hold-door or hold-compartment dimensions are published, and the airline states there is no size or weight limit on a checked mobility aid.
Worth knowing
Two Air Tahiti Nui pages must be read together: the disability page (service, closet size, WCOB, notice) and the Restricted or prohibited items page (the actual battery numbers). The battery vocabulary on the disability page is a confusing translation from French — ATN calls dry/non-spillable batteries "reversible" and wet/spillable batteries "non-reversible", and puts lithium in the "reversible" group; the French original ("batteries dites inversables (egalement appelees batteries seches)... batteries dites non inversables (egalement appelees batteries humides)") confirms which is which, and this record follows the French. Every mobility-aid battery category on the restricted-items page carries "Caution: The airline's prior approval is required", which is why all three battery facts and electric.allowed are recorded as conditional rather than true. Two other things a power-chair user should note: an electric chair is checked and returned at the baggage belt, not the aircraft door (the manual chair is returned at the door), and the 20-batteries/two-batteries-over-100 Wh figures on the restricted-items page are the general spare-lithium rules for consumer electronics and have NOT been imported as mobility-aid limits. ATN flies to LAX but publishes no Complaints Resolution Official contact.
Sources
Every figure above traces to one of these.
- s1 Assistance for passengers with disabilities (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s2 Restricted or prohibited items (mobility-aid battery rules) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s3 Special assistance (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s4 Find us — offices and call centres (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s5 Contact us — online request form (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s6 Baggage Policies (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s7 Aide aux personnes en situation de handicap ou a mobilite reduite (French original) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s8 Passenger services and assistance (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
Record quality
Record status researched · confidence high · 8 official sources · 13 contacts · 79% of the fields this reference tracks are answered. Newest source read 29 July 2026, the day before this page was built. What these mean.