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Austrian
Powered chairs need the airline’s prior approval · carried free · 48 h notice · 160 Wh installed-battery cap.
- Advance notice
- 48hours before departure
- Powered wheelchair
- Conditional
- Lithium, battery installed
- 160watt-hours maximum
- Cost to carry
- Free
Who to contact
Transcribed from the airline’s own pages, exactly as it labels them.
- PhoneAustria — Service Centre (assistance bookings; also forwards to the Complaint Resolution Official in Vienna)
- PhoneAustria — Agency for Passenger Rights (APF), EC 1107/2006 complaints (regulator, not Austrian Airlines)10:00-12:00 Monday to Friday
- EmailSpecial Cases Desk (mobility aids, oversize/overweight chairs, battery approval, seat-pan requests)
- Online form
Austrian publishes no TTY/text-relay or disability-only phone line; the Service Centre number doubles as the route to the Vienna Complaint Resolution Official. CROs are also available at all Austrian's US destinations.
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.
"Transport approval from the airline is required for wheelchairs and mobility aids." Restrictions apply to battery power, total weight and size; send the manufacturer's technical datasheet or manual with the 'Information about electric mobility aid' form no later than 48 hours before departure. Austrian also warns "there may be restrictions on battery-powered wheelchairs for safety reasons".
Accessible travel (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Electronic devices and batteries (incl. wheelchairs and mobility aids) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Information about electric mobility aid / Electric mobility device information form (PDF) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"Transport approval from the airline is required for wheelchairs and mobility aids" — send the manufacturer's technical datasheet or manual with the 'Information about electric mobility aid' form no later than 48 hours before departure "for our checking and approval". Austrian's mobility-aid form has a dedicated lithium-ion section; "wheelchairs with permanently-installed/non-removable lithium batteries are subject to a limit of no more than 2 batteries with a capacity of up to 160 Wh per battery".
Electronic devices and batteries (incl. wheelchairs and mobility aids) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Information about electric mobility aid / Electric mobility device information form (PDF) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"Since October 1, 2025, wheelchairs or other mobility aids with a permanently installed, non-removable lithium battery are subject to a limit of a maximum of two batteries, each with a capacity of up to 160 Wh." Bookings confirmed before 1 October 2025, or trips started before that date, are unaffected.
Accessible travel (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Electronic devices and batteries (incl. wheelchairs and mobility aids) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"Removeable batteries and spare batteries must be carried in the passenger cabin. Max. 1 battery up to 300 Wh or 2 batteries of max. 160 Wh each."
Information about electric mobility aid / Electric mobility device information form (PDF) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"Max. 1 spare battery up to 300 Wh or 2 spare batteries of max. 160 Wh each" — carried in the passenger cabin.
Information about electric mobility aid / Electric mobility device information form (PDF) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Lithium: 1 spare of up to 300 Wh, or 2 spares of max 160 Wh each. Non-spillable: 1 spare wet non-spillable battery, or 2 spare NiMH/dry-cell batteries (checked baggage only).
Information about electric mobility aid / Electric mobility device information form (PDF) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Depends on battery type and design. Removable lithium batteries and spares "must be carried in the passenger cabin"; permanently installed lithium batteries stay in the chair (max 2 x 160 Wh). Removed and spare non-spillable/dry-cell batteries are accepted in checked baggage only.
Information about electric mobility aid / Electric mobility device information form (PDF) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Electronic devices and batteries (incl. wheelchairs and mobility aids) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"Transport approval from the airline is required for wheelchairs and mobility aids" — the manufacturer's technical datasheet must reach Austrian no later than 48 hours before departure "for our checking and approval". Non-spillable or dry-cell batteries (code WCBD) — gel, nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride, sealed lead-acid — are then accepted: max 1 spare non-spillable wet battery or 2 spare NiMH/dry cells, in checked baggage only; non-spillable wet batteries capped at 12 V / 100 Wh each.
Information about electric mobility aid / Electric mobility device information form (PDF) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Electronic devices and batteries (incl. wheelchairs and mobility aids) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Austrian's own "Elektronische Mobilitätshilfe" form (austrian.com) lists the Lufthansa Group battery codes. Spillable wet-cell battery (code WCBW): "Only accepted as checked baggage provided the device can be loaded, stowed, secured and unloaded always in an upright position."
Information about electric mobility aid / Electric mobility device information form (PDF) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"The battery power must be isolated. Protect exposed battery terminals from short circuits, e.g. by taping the terminals, to prevent the mobility device from inadvertent activation." Turn the device fully off (remove the key, deactivate via joystick/isolation switch), and carry removed or spare batteries in the manufacturer's original packaging or other strong, rigid packaging.
Information about electric mobility aid / Electric mobility device information form (PDF) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Electronic devices and batteries (incl. wheelchairs and mobility aids) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Send the manufacturer's technical datasheet or manual at least 48 h before departure with the completed 'Information about electric mobility aid' form (type, manufacturer, model, weight, length/width/height, brake-release/freewheel location, battery type, Wh rating, number of batteries and spares). Carry the completed form for the journey; attach the safety data sheet or air-transport certificate if available, and be able to produce the manufacturer's handbook on request.
Electronic devices and batteries (incl. wheelchairs and mobility aids) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Information about electric mobility aid / Electric mobility device information form (PDF) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Escalation threshold rather than an absolute refusal size. Austrian publishes "max. 130 x 85 x 70 cm" for a wheelchair, but exceeding it means "we will be pleased to check the loading options" rather than automatic refusal, and Austrian warns that "more restrictive limits apply on certain routes or aircraft models". Axes as printed (L x W x H per its own form).
Accessible travel (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"Weight: max. 80 kg" for a mobility aid without prior check; heavier devices must be cleared with specialcases@austrian.com. Fleet limits: Embraer fleet 80 kg, A220-100/A220-300 149 kg.
Accessible travel (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Wheelchairs are tagged "Delivery at aircraft" at check-in and loaded directly at the aircraft; on arrival the chair comes back immediately after disembarkation or at the baggage carousel. Immediate delivery is not possible at Billund, Cagliari, Catania, Hamburg, Hanover, Nuremberg, Olbia, Palermo and Stuttgart, and Austrian notes there may be restrictions on battery-powered wheelchairs for safety reasons.
Accessible travel (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Austrian's downloadable mobility-aid form is dated 2020 and does not mention the 160 Wh cap on permanently installed lithium batteries that the website introduced on 1 October 2025 — read both. Battery-powered personal transportation devices (e-scooters, hoverboards, Segways) are banned outright; that ban is a separate section and does not cover wheelchairs and mobility aids.
Manual wheelchairs
Manual, folding and non-folding wheelchairs are carried; up to two mobility aids per passenger free of charge. The assistance form asks you to declare manual / folding / non-folding.
Accessible travel (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Passengers requiring assistance — contact form (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Not published on austrian.com. Austrian says you may use your folding wheelchair up to the departure gate where it is gate-checked with a 'Delivery at aircraft' tag, but says nothing about stowing a folding chair inside the cabin.
No in-cabin wheelchair stowage dimensions are published on austrian.com.
Escalation threshold rather than an absolute refusal size. Austrian publishes "max. 130 x 85 x 70 cm" for a wheelchair, but exceeding it means "we will be pleased to check the loading options" rather than automatic refusal, and Austrian warns that "more restrictive limits apply on certain routes or aircraft models". Axes as printed (L x W x H per its own form).
Accessible travel (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"Weight: max. 80 kg." Above this (or above 130 x 85 x 70 cm) you must send flight dates plus the length/width/height and weight to specialcases@austrian.com so loading can be checked; more restrictive limits apply on certain routes/aircraft. The Embraer fleet is capped at 80 kg and the A220-100/A220-300 at 149 kg.
Accessible travel (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"You can use your folding wheelchair right up to the departure gate. Your wheelchair will be given a 'Delivery at aircraft' bag tag at check-in. It is loaded directly at the aircraft." On arrival you receive it immediately after disembarkation or at the baggage carousel — immediate delivery is NOT possible at Billund, Cagliari, Catania, Hamburg, Hanover, Nuremberg, Olbia, Palermo and Stuttgart.
Accessible travel (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Arrive at the check-in desk no later than 60 minutes before departure, even if already checked in online. Step-free boarding cannot be guaranteed at every airport Austrian serves; you may have to change wheelchairs airside.
Booking & cost
"Please declare your assistance requirements and any mobility aids you will be taking with you no later than 48 hours before departure, including their dimensions, weight and special features." Battery details (manufacturer's technical datasheet or manual) must also reach Austrian no later than 48 hours before departure.
Accessible travel (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Electronic devices and batteries (incl. wheelchairs and mobility aids) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Passengers requiring assistance — contact form (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Austrian offers a written contact form for assistance requirements and mobility aids, or booking by phone through the Service Centre. Oversize/overweight chairs and battery questions go to specialcases@austrian.com.
Accessible travel (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Passengers requiring assistance — contact form (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"You can carry up to two mobility aids per passenger with restricted mobility (wheelchair, crutches or any other type of walking aid) free of charge with Austrian Airlines." Free wheelchair service is also provided at the airport on departure and arrival.
Accessible travel (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"You can carry up to two mobility aids per passenger with restricted mobility ... free of charge."
Accessible travel (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Under its 14 CFR DOT 382 service package Austrian offers: repair/replacement with a device of comparable function and safety at its expense, or repair via your preferred vendor paid directly by Austrian; a loaner chair matching your function and safety needs (or reimbursement of your own loaner within 30 days); and reimbursement of airport transport costs if the device is delayed. Report damage via the online baggage report or airport lost-and-found.
Accessible travel (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
On board
"We provide an onboard wheelchair on all long-haul flights... On short-haul flights, this service is provided upon request" with at least 48 hours' notice. "On all flights operated by partner airlines on our behalf, we are unable to provide an onboard wheelchair."
Accessible travel (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Not published on austrian.com. Austrian says crew will help you reach the lavatory using the onboard wheelchair but does not state which aircraft, if any, have a wheelchair-accessible lavatory.
Cabin staff help with preparing food, using the onboard wheelchair to access the lavatory, access to the lavatory for people with restricted mobility, stowing hand luggage and aids, and communicating with visually or hearing-impaired passengers. A companion aged 18+ is required for anything more, including help with eating or using the toilet.
Accessible travel (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"Almost all seats have moveable armrests that make access to your seat easier"; some aisle seats have folding armrests — ask when booking. Seats in the emergency exit row cannot be offered. A seat pan attached to the seat must be safety-tested in advance via the Special Cases Desk.
Accessible travel (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Fleet detail. Cargo-door apertures published by Austrian (width x height): ATR72-600 (Braathens) 125/150 cm; A220-300 (Air Baltic) 118/83 cm; A320/321 182/120 cm; B767-300 340/170 cm; B777-200 269/170 cm; B787-9 269/170 cm; EMB 190/195 110/90 cm. Weight restrictions: Embraer fleet 80 kg; A220-100/A220-300 149 kg. Austrian adds that door size is not the only constraint and asks for flight dates plus length/width/height and weight so loading can be checked.
Worth knowing
Austrian is a Lufthansa Group airline and its accessible-travel page follows the group template, but Austrian nowhere states that 'the Lufthansa Group policy applies' — every figure here is taken from austrian.com or an austrian.com-hosted PDF, and several differ from SWISS's equivalents. Austrian's lithium wording is its own: max 1 removable battery up to 300 Wh OR 2 of max 160 Wh, plus the same again as spares; permanently installed batteries are capped at 2 x 160 Wh since 1 Oct 2025. Austrian is one of the few carriers publishing an explicit maximum chair size (130 x 85 x 70 cm, 80 kg) — the axis labels are not printed, so the length/width/height mapping follows Austrian's own form. Two aircraft in the cargo-door table (ATR72-600 Braathens, A220-300 Air Baltic) are wet-leased partner aircraft, and Austrian cannot supply an onboard wheelchair on partner-operated flights. The German-language page carries identical figures.
Sources
Every figure above traces to one of these.
- s1 Accessible travel (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s2 Electronic devices and batteries (incl. wheelchairs and mobility aids) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s3 Information about electric mobility aid / Electric mobility device information form (PDF) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s4 Passengers requiring assistance — contact form (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
Record quality
Record status researched · confidence high · 4 official sources · 4 contacts · 95% of the fields this reference tracks are answered. Newest source read 29 July 2026, the day before this page was built. What these mean.