wheelair

All airlines Asia Pacific

Hong Kong Express Airways

IATA UO ICAO HKE Hong Kong (SAR), China · www.hkexpress.com (opens in a new tab)

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.

HK Express publishes no dedicated disability/accessibility phone line. The Customer Connect team is reached by WhatsApp, WeChat or the Service Request Form (08:00-20:00 daily); the country numbers above are the general Customer Connect lines. No accessibility email address is published.

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.

Powered chairs accepted
Yes

Battery-powered wheelchairs and mobility aids are accepted as checked baggage provided they meet the dangerous goods requirements on the Controlled and Banned Items page. They must be checked in at the counter (not used to the boarding area) and must fit 140 x 140 x 110 cm / under 150 kg.

Special Assistance (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Controlled and Banned Items (dangerous goods table) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Lithium-ion batteries
Yes

Lithium-battery wheelchairs accepted in checked baggage. Terminals protected from short circuit; batteries must meet UN Manual of Tests and Criteria Part III subsection 38.3; either securely attached with circuits isolated per the manufacturer, or removed by the user. Removed batteries must be carried on, in the cabin.

Controlled and Banned Items (dangerous goods table) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Watt-hour cap — battery stays in the chair
Not published

Not published. HK Express states a watt-hour cap only for batteries REMOVED from the mobility aid; for a battery that stays securely attached with the circuits isolated it gives no Wh figure.

Controlled and Banned Items (dangerous goods table) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Watt-hour cap — battery removed into the cabin
300 Wh

"Each lithium battery removed from the mobility aid must not exceed 300Wh." Removed batteries must be carried on (in the cabin).

Controlled and Banned Items (dangerous goods table) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Watt-hour cap — spare battery
300 Wh

"Max. 1 spare lithium battery not exceeding 300Wh; or Max. 2 spare lithium batteries each not exceeding 160Wh." Spares travel in the cabin.

Controlled and Banned Items (dangerous goods table) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Spare batteries permittedmaximum number under any published configuration
2

Maximum two spares: either one spare lithium battery up to 300 Wh, or two spare lithium batteries each not exceeding 160 Wh. Separately, for non-lithium chairs: max 1 spare non-spillable, or 2 nickel-metal hydride, or 2 dry batteries, carried in checked baggage.

Controlled and Banned Items (dangerous goods table) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Battery must be removed
No

Removal is an option, not a requirement: batteries must be "either adequately protected against damage and securely attached to the wheelchair ... and the electrical circuits must be isolated following the manufacturer's instruction; or removed by the user following the manufacturer's instructions". If removed, lithium batteries must be carried on.

Controlled and Banned Items (dangerous goods table) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Non-spillable batteriesgel, AGM, sealed lead-acid, dry cell
Yes

Non-spillable, nickel-metal hydride and dry batteries accepted in checked baggage; terminals protected, aid prepared against unintentional activation. Non-spillable must comply with IATA Special Provision A67 (no free liquid), NiMH with A199, dry with A123. Removed/spare batteries go in strong rigid packaging in CHECKED baggage: max 1 spare non-spillable, or 2 NiMH, or 2 dry.

Controlled and Banned Items (dangerous goods table) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Wet / spillable batteries
Yes

Accepted in checked baggage: terminals protected from short circuit; batteries fitted with spill-resistant vent caps where feasible; securely attached with circuits isolated per the manufacturer, or removed if the aid cannot be kept upright. Removed batteries need leak-tight rigid packaging with absorbent material, secured upright.

Controlled and Banned Items (dangerous goods table) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Terminal protection & immobilisation
Terminals protected from short circuit (e.g. enclosed in a battery container); electrical circuits isolated per the manufacturer's instructions

For every battery type HK Express requires "battery terminals are protected from short circuit (e.g. by being enclosed within a battery container)" and, where the battery stays fitted, that it is securely attached and the electrical circuits isolated following the manufacturer's instructions. Spare batteries must be individually protected (original packaging, taped terminals or separate bag).

Controlled and Banned Items (dangerous goods table) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Paperwork the airline wants
Batteries must meet UN Manual of Tests and Criteria Part III subsection 38.3 (plus IATA SP A67/A199/A123 as applicable); photos of the wheelchair requested at booking and the user manual recommended

No battery spec sheet or MSDS form is demanded, but HK Express recommends uploading photos of the wheelchair when applying for the service and bringing the wheelchair or mobility aid's user manual. Battery standards: UN 38.3; non-spillable IATA SP A67; NiMH A199; dry A123.

Special Assistance (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Controlled and Banned Items (dangerous goods table) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Size limit for a powered chairAirline’s stated maximum wheelchair size
140 cm long · 140 cm wide · 110 cm high

Stated maximum accepted wheelchair/mobility aid size: Length 140 cm / 55.1 in, Width 140 cm / 55.1 in, Height 110 cm / 43.3 in.

Special Assistance (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Weight limit for a powered chair
150 kg

Same limit as for any wheelchair/mobility aid: must "weigh less than 150kg"; anything heavier cannot be accepted as checked baggage.

Special Assistance (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Returned at the aircraft door
Not published

Not published. HK Express states "battery-powered wheelchairs must be checked in at the counter" and provides an airport wheelchair for the journey through the terminal, but says nothing about returning the powered chair at the aircraft door.

Special Assistance (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Powered chairs cannot be used up to the gate — they are surrendered at the check-in counter and an airport wheelchair is provided.

Manual wheelchairs

Manual chairs accepted
Yes

Wheelchairs and mobility aids are accepted as checked baggage within 140 x 140 x 110 cm and under 150 kg. "For those with manual wheelchairs, you can use them until you reach the boarding area." Requests made inside the 48 h window may be refused for lack of aircraft space.

Special Assistance (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Folding chair may travel in the cabin
Not published

Not published for folding manual wheelchairs. HK Express says only that "certain types of mobility aids such as canes, crutches and walkers" may be brought on board provided they can be safely stowed within the aircraft.

Special Assistance (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

In-cabin stowage limit
Not published

HK Express publishes no in-cabin stowage dimensions for a folding wheelchair.

Size limit for a checked manual chairAirline’s stated maximum wheelchair size
140 cm long · 140 cm wide · 110 cm high

Stated maximum accepted wheelchair/mobility aid size: Length 140 cm / 55.1 in, Width 140 cm / 55.1 in, Height 110 cm / 43.3 in. Anything larger cannot be accepted as checked baggage.

Special Assistance (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Weight limit for a manual chair
150 kg

"We accept wheelchairs or mobility aids that fit within the following dimensions ... and weigh less than 150kg. Any wheelchair or mobility aid exceeding the above dimension and weight cannot be accepted as checked baggage."

Special Assistance (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Returned at the aircraft door
Not published

Not published. HK Express says a manual wheelchair may be used "until you reach the boarding area" and that ground staff will transfer you to the aircraft, but says nothing about returning the chair at the aircraft door on arrival.

Special Assistance (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Battery-powered wheelchairs must be checked in at the counter; manual chairs may be used up to the boarding area.

Booking & cost

Advance notice requiredhours before scheduled departure
48h

Wheelchair assistance must be requested at least 48 hours before scheduled departure via Manage My Booking; the same 48 hours applies to elderly and vision/hearing-impaired passengers. 72 hours is required for medical clearance, POC/CPAP/BiPAP use and assistance dogs.

Special Assistance (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  FAQ (Special Assistance) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

How to request assistance
Submit a Wheelchair Service Request in Manage My Booking at least 48 h before departure; inside 48 h contact the Customer Connect team

"Please submit your request at least 48 hours before your scheduled departure time through Manage My Booking." Select [Wheelchair Service Request] after retrieving the booking; a revised itinerary confirms the service. Inside 48 hours, contact Customer Connect via Customer Care. HK Express recommends uploading photos of the wheelchair for verification.

Special Assistance (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  FAQ (Special Assistance) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Charge for carrying the aid
No fee

"For passengers with reduced mobility, there are no additional charges for bringing personal wheelchairs, mobility aids, and removable parts or batteries for personal use." Wheelchairs used by passengers with reduced mobility are checked in free of charge.

Special Assistance (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  FAQ (Special Assistance) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Mobility devices carried free
Not published

HK Express does not publish a number of mobility devices carried free per passenger; it states only that personal wheelchairs, mobility aids and their removable parts/batteries carry no additional charge.

If they damage your chair
Montreal Convention 1,519 SDR per passenger (Warsaw: 17 SDR/kg checked); written claim within 7 days of receipt for physical damage; damage to protruding parts such as wheels and handles is excluded

"In cases where the Montreal Convention applies ... the applicable liability limit is 1,519 Special Drawing Rights per passenger for checked and unchecked baggage." Claim exclusions include "damage to protruding parts of your baggage such as wheels, stand, pull straps or telescopic handles" and baggage accepted with a limited release tag. No US-style full-value mobility-aid rule is published.

Baggage Claims Policy (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

On board

On-board aisle chair
Not published

HK Express does not say whether an on-board aisle wheelchair is carried on its all-Airbus narrowbody fleet.

Accessible lavatory
Not published

Not published; HK Express makes no statement about accessible lavatories on its aircraft.

Crew help you transfer
Ground staff transfer you to the aircraft; cabin crew assist on board but not with personal care

"Upon reaching the boarding gate, please inform our ground handling staff before you board. We will ensure you are safely transferred to the aircraft." Cabin crew will not provide personal care (feeding, elimination, in-flight medical service) — a Travel Assistant is required for that, and a Safety Assistant if HK Express judges you cannot assist in your own evacuation.

Special Assistance (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Seating & movable armrests
No emergency-exit-row seating; a Safety or Travel Assistant should sit adjacent and must not obstruct exits

Passengers travelling with a Safety or Travel Assistant "must not be seated at an emergency exit row or seated wherein they could obstruct emergency exits"; passengers requiring medical clearance also cannot take an exit-row seat. HK Express publishes no movable-armrest or bulkhead policy.

Special Assistance (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Fleet detail. HK Express warns that services and facilities may be limited by local airport or ground-handler constraints, "such as parking stands without boarding bridges or passenger boarding lifts", and that it will try to notify passengers in advance. No hold-door or compartment dimensions are published; the 140 x 140 x 110 cm / 150 kg figures are stated as a maximum accepted device size.

Worth knowing

Low-cost carrier in the Cathay Pacific group, all-Airbus narrowbody fleet, no US routes (so no DOT Complaints Resolution Official page). Mobility-aid battery rules live on the Controlled and Banned Items page, not the Special Assistance page. Note the asymmetry: HK Express publishes a 300 Wh cap for a lithium battery REMOVED from the chair and for spares, but no cap at all for a battery that stays installed and isolated — do not read the 300 Wh as an installed-battery limit. Requests made inside 48 hours may be refused for lack of hold space. Powered chairs must be surrendered at the check-in counter, not the gate. HK Express may require a Safety Assistant if it judges a passenger cannot assist in their own evacuation. Stretchers, passenger-supplied oxygen and in-flight oxygen are not available at all, and passengers who need a strict nut-free environment are not accepted.

Sources

Every figure above traces to one of these.

  1. s1 Special Assistance (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  2. s2 Controlled and Banned Items (dangerous goods table) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  3. s3 FAQ (Special Assistance) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  4. s4 Contact Us — Customer Connect (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  5. s5 Baggage Claims Policy (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  6. s6 Customer Care (Accessibility Commitment, Service Request Form) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29

Record quality

Record status researched · confidence high · 6 official sources · 11 contacts · 77% of the fields this reference tracks are answered. Newest source read 29 July 2026, the day before this page was built. What these mean.