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Ethiopian Airlines
Powered wheelchairs accepted · carried free · 48 h notice.
- Advance notice
- 48hours before departure
- Powered wheelchair
- Yes
- Lithium, battery installed
- Not published
- Cost to carry
- Free
Who to contact
Transcribed from the airline’s own pages, exactly as it labels them.
- PhoneUSA — Reservations / special services (Washington D.C.)
- PhoneEthiopia — Addis Ababa reservations (special services)
- PhoneEthiopia — Manager, Customer Relations (accessibility plan feedback; published as "Tell: 011-5174422")
- EmailCustomer Relations Management — accessibility feedback (Accessibility Plan contact)
- EmailGlobal Customer Interaction Center — reservations / booking changes
- Online form
- Online form
- Online form
- Relay / text1-800-828-1120 (Telephone Relay Service), published alongside the Washington D.C. reservations line.USA — Telephone Relay Service for hearing-impaired customers
- Relay / textFeedback on the Accessibility Plan may be submitted anonymously; Ethiopian says it acknowledges anonymous feedback the same way as identified feedback.Anonymous accessibility feedback
Complaint Resolution Officials (CROs) are stationed at Addis Ababa Bole and Washington Dulles; ask any staff member to contact one. Ethiopian's US page also reprints the US DOT Aviation Consumer Protection numbers 1-800-778-4838 (voice) / 1-800-455-9880 (TTY) and 202-366-2220 / 202-366-0511 (TTY) for 14 CFR Part 382 questions. Worldwide contact and global support number pages render only with JavaScript and could not be read.
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.
"All assistive devices are accepted, including electric wheelchairs." Accessibility Plan: "Battery-powered wheelchairs are accepted if they fit in the cargo compartment and can be transported safely and securely."
Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Ethiopian Airlines Group Accessibility Plan and Feedback Process 2023-2026 (PDF, Rev 2.01, 22-May-2024) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Ethiopian states all assistive devices including electric wheelchairs are accepted, and its lithium-battery advisory bans lithium-powered vehicles "(which are not mobility aids)" — expressly carving mobility aids out of that ban. However its wheelchair-battery guidance covers only spillable and non-spillable types; no lithium-specific wheelchair procedure is published.
Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Travel Update — "Travel Smart with Lithium Batteries" and "Inclusive Travel Support" (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
No watt-hour limit is published for a battery installed in or travelling with a mobility aid. Ethiopian's general baggage rules (not stated to apply to wheelchairs) allow lithium-ion batteries in equipment up to 160 Wh and require approval / cargo shipment above 160 Wh.
Not published. Ethiopian's wheelchair-battery guidance covers only spillable and non-spillable types and sets no watt-hour ceiling for a mobility-aid battery removed into the cabin. Its general baggage table (not stated to apply to wheelchairs) allows spare lithium batteries of >100-160 Wh in carry-on only, maximum two.
No watt-hour limit is published for a spare mobility-aid battery. The general baggage table (not stated to apply to wheelchairs) allows spare lithium batteries up to 100 Wh in carry-on, and >100-160 Wh in carry-on to a maximum of two.
Ethiopian does not publish how many spare mobility-aid batteries may be carried. Its general table permits a maximum of two spare lithium batteries of >100-160 Wh in carry-on only.
Not automatic: a spillable battery "may be removed and packaged"; a non-spillable battery "may be removed if upright storage isn't possible". Ethiopian asks 48 hours' notice if you need packaging for batteries, and asks you to attach battery removal instructions to the chair.
Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Non-spillable (dry-cell, gel-cell) wheelchair batteries: "We'll tape battery posts" and the "battery may be removed if upright storage isn't possible". Damaged or leaking batteries are never carried.
Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Accepted on US routes only, as published: the spillable-battery rules ("We'll disconnect and protect the terminals", the battery "may be removed and packaged", 48 h notice if you need packaging) sit on a page that states "These services apply only to Ethiopian Airlines flights to/from the USA", while Ethiopian's network-wide restricted-items table lists "Devices with spillable batteries" as "Carry-on No" and "Check-in No". Label the battery clearly as spillable or non-spillable; damaged or leaking batteries are never carried. Confirm before you fly.
Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Restricted Items (baggage) — battery table (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
For spillable batteries Ethiopian says "we'll disconnect and protect the terminals"; for non-spillable batteries "we'll tape battery posts". Its general lithium advice is to keep spare batteries in original packaging or tape the terminals to prevent short circuits.
Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Travel Update — "Travel Smart with Lithium Batteries" and "Inclusive Travel Support" (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"Label your wheelchair battery clearly as spillable or non-spillable." Also: attach clear handling instructions (e.g. switching to manual mode, removing parts), identify the battery type and attach removal instructions. No spec sheet or MSDS is demanded.
Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
No dimension limits published for powered wheelchairs, and no hold or hold-door figures either; acceptance is conditioned only on the device fitting in the cargo compartment.
Ethiopian does not publish a maximum weight for a powered wheelchair; the Accessibility Plan only says battery-powered wheelchairs are accepted if they fit in the cargo compartment and can be carried safely.
The same gate-check rule applies to all personal wheelchairs: checked at the gate and returned as close to the aircraft door as possible, fully assembled. The Accessibility Plan says Ethiopian facilitates checking and timely return of mobility aids at the gate for use in the terminal.
Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Ethiopian Airlines Group Accessibility Plan and Feedback Process 2023-2026 (PDF, Rev 2.01, 22-May-2024) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Ethiopian's mobility-aid battery guidance is written only around spillable vs non-spillable batteries; it publishes no watt-hour ceiling, spare-battery count or lithium removal procedure for wheelchairs. Passengers with lithium chairs should confirm with the airline before travel.
Manual wheelchairs
"All assistive devices are accepted, including electric wheelchairs." The Accessibility Plan adds that manual wheelchairs that cannot be accommodated in the cabin are carried safely in the cargo compartment.
Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Ethiopian Airlines Group Accessibility Plan and Feedback Process 2023-2026 (PDF, Rev 2.01, 22-May-2024) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
A dedicated cabin closet stores one folding manual wheelchair without removing the wheels, with priority for pre-boarding passengers (US flights). The Accessibility Plan says normal-sized collapsible manual wheelchairs are carried in the cabin free and are not counted against the carry-on limit; Medical Case Passengers page says own wheelchairs may be carried in the cabin on request, subject to space.
Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Medical Case Passengers (Special Assistance, Equipment and Support) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Ethiopian Airlines Group Accessibility Plan and Feedback Process 2023-2026 (PDF, Rev 2.01, 22-May-2024) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"Priority Cabin Stowage for Assistive Devices: A dedicated cabin closet is available to store one folding manual wheelchair (max: 13" x 36" x 42"), without removing wheels" (33.0 x 91.4 x 106.7 cm) — the US in-cabin closet rule, on flights to/from the USA. Ethiopian does not label which figure is height, width or length; the binding constraint is the 13 in (33 cm) dimension. Passengers who pre-board may stow their chair here ahead of other cabin items.
Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Not published. Ethiopian does not publish a maximum size for a manual wheelchair carried in the hold (silence, not a stated absence of limit). Its only published wheelchair dimensions are the in-cabin closet limit, recorded under manual.cabin_stowage_dimensions.
Ethiopian does not publish a maximum weight for a manual wheelchair.
"You can check your personal wheelchair at the gate. It will be returned as close to the aircraft door as possible, fully assembled (where allowed by law)." Ethiopian warns that on short layovers you may not get the chair back between flights.
Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Ethiopian Airlines Group Accessibility Plan and Feedback Process 2023-2026 (PDF, Rev 2.01, 22-May-2024) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Passengers who intend to check their own wheelchair may use it up to the aircraft door, where it is tagged and sent for loading in the hold; airport/airline wheelchairs are offered as an alternative.
Booking & cost
Ethiopian asks for 48 hours' notice if you travel with hazardous materials (e.g. certain batteries), need packaging for batteries or other devices, need on-board wheelchair use, or need to hook assistive devices to aircraft power. Accessible seating should be requested at least 24 hours before departure; in-flight oxygen 72 hours.
Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
"We recommend requesting special services (e.g. wheelchair assistance) when you book." During booking select your needs in the 'passenger information' section; after booking update your reservation or send the request through the site. Passengers to/from the USA can submit the Special Need Service Request Form. Phone: Washington D.C. 1-800-445-2733; Addis Ababa +251 11 617 9900.
Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Special Need Service Request Form (USA origins/destinations) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Accessibility Plan: assistive devices, including normal-sized collapsible manual wheelchairs, are allowed as carry-on in the cabin free of charge and are not counted against the carry-on limit. Ethiopian publishes no charge for mobility aids carried in the hold, but also does not state explicitly that hold carriage is free.
Ethiopian Airlines Group Accessibility Plan and Feedback Process 2023-2026 (PDF, Rev 2.01, 22-May-2024) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Ethiopian does not publish a number of mobility devices carried free per passenger.
Ethiopian publishes no mobility-aid-specific liability rule and no ACAA full-value promise. Its Conditions of Carriage apply the general checked-baggage limits: "Montreal Up to 1,131 SDR (~USD 1,750) total per passenger" (only if the carrier is at fault), Warsaw 17 SDR/kg, "U.S. Domestic Travel Minimum USD 2,800 per passenger"; a higher value may be declared for a fee. The Accessibility Plan only says that on loss or damage "Ethiopian provides compensation as applicable". Damaged baggage: "Report any irregularities immediately before leaving the arrival hall".
Ethiopian Airlines Group Accessibility Plan and Feedback Process 2023-2026 (PDF, Rev 2.01, 22-May-2024) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Conditions of Carriage (4.4 Passengers Requiring Special Assistance; 14.1 Liability limits for baggage) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Delayed, Lost or Damaged Baggage (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
On board
Route- and aircraft-dependent. "Aircraft flying to/from the USA have onboard wheelchairs for lavatory access. Flight attendants help with the chair, but not with lavatory functions" — a promise Ethiopian makes only on its US (14 CFR Part 382) page. Network-wide it says narrow wheelchair-type devices without armrests are available "on some of" its aircraft, so availability off the US network is not guaranteed. 48 hours' notice is requested if you need on-board wheelchair use.
Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Medical Case Passengers (Special Assistance, Equipment and Support) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Ethiopian does not publish whether any aircraft has an accessible/wheelchair-accessible lavatory; it only states that an on-board wheelchair gives lavatory access on US flights.
Ground staff assist with boarding, deplaning, connections and transfers, including boarding equipment for those unable to use stairs, aisle chairs, ramps, mechanical lifts and accessible motorised carts. Cabin crew help stow/retrieve assistive devices but "cannot assist with eating, hygiene, lifting passengers, or giving medical aid" — bring a personal care attendant if you need that.
Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Ethiopian Airlines Group Accessibility Plan and Feedback Process 2023-2026 (PDF, Rev 2.01, 22-May-2024) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Accessible seating on request, at least 24 hours before departure: bulkhead seats (usually first row, more legroom), movable aisle armrest seats for easier transfers, and designated disability seats for passengers who use an aisle chair and cannot transfer over a fixed armrest, have a service animal, have a fused/immobilised leg, or travel with a safety assistant. Aircraft changes may alter assignments.
Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Ethiopian Airlines Group Accessibility Plan and Feedback Process 2023-2026 (PDF, Rev 2.01, 22-May-2024) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29
Fleet detail. Ethiopian publishes no hold-door or hold dimensions. Battery-powered wheelchairs are accepted only "if they fit in the cargo compartment and can be transported safely and securely", so acceptance is aircraft-dependent and should be confirmed for every sector.
Worth knowing
Most of Ethiopian's detailed disability policy is published on a page scoped to flights to/from the USA (a US DOT 14 CFR Part 382 requirement); the airline states those services "apply only to Ethiopian Airlines flights to/from the USA". Network-wide content is thinner and lives on the Medical Case Passengers page and in the Canadian ACA/ATPDR Accessibility Plan PDF. Ethiopian caps the number of WCHC (completely immobile) passengers per flight: two individual WCHC passengers in Cloud Nine (C-9) and five in Economy; for groups, five in C-9 and eight in Economy. MEDIF is not normally required for a wheelchair user — only for stretcher, incubator, oxygen, communicable disease or extraordinary in-flight medical help; a certificate must be dated within 10 days of the first flight (the Medical Case page says medical documents must be issued within 7 days and an approved MEDIF is valid 72 hours, submitted at least 48 hours before departure). Wheelchair passengers are accepted without an attendant if a doctor's certificate confirms they can travel without special attention and evacuate independently. Personal medical equipment: dry and gel cell batteries accepted, wet cells not. Adey Flower Lanyard for hidden disabilities available at Addis Ababa Bole airport and the Addis Ababa ticket office. Check-in at least 2 hours before departure (1 hour early check-in is advised on top for oxygen, respiratory equipment, stretcher/service animal/incubator, and boarding-lift assistance).
Sources
Every figure above traces to one of these.
- s1 Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s2 Medical Case Passengers (Special Assistance, Equipment and Support) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s3 Ethiopian Airlines Group Accessibility Plan and Feedback Process 2023-2026 (PDF, Rev 2.01, 22-May-2024) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s4 Restricted Items (baggage) — battery table (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s5 Travel Update — "Travel Smart with Lithium Batteries" and "Inclusive Travel Support" (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s6 Conditions of Carriage (4.4 Passengers Requiring Special Assistance; 14.1 Liability limits for baggage) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s7 Special Need Service Request Form (USA origins/destinations) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s8 Special Care (special assistance hub) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s9 Medical Information Form (MEDIF) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s10 Support and Feedback (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
- s11 Delayed, Lost or Damaged Baggage (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
Record quality
Record status researched · confidence high · 11 official sources · 10 contacts · 67% of the fields this reference tracks are answered. Newest source read 29 July 2026, the day before this page was built. What these mean.