Safair

IATA FA ICAO SFR South Africa · www.flysafair.co.za (opens in a new tab)

Powered chairs need the airline’s prior approval · carried free · 72 h notice.

Advance notice: 72hours 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.

Phone

+27 87 357 0030

South Africa — Customer care / Special Needs department (add assistance to an existing booking)

07:00–19:00, 7 days a week (the Help Desk gives the Special Needs department's booking hours as Monday to Friday 07:00–19:00)
Phone

+27 87 350 7133

South Africa — Group bookings & GDS

07:00–19:00, 7 days a week
Email

help@flysafair.co.za

General customer help (no dedicated accessibility address is published)
Online form

Book a flight and select the assistance you need during the booking process — FlySafair's stated route to request assistance ('no extra forms or calls needed') (opens in a new tab)
Relay / text

+27 72 940 4565 (wa.me/27729404565). Mon–Fri 09:00–17:00, Sat 09:00–13:00, closed Sundays and public holidays. Facebook Messenger and X are also staffed 07:00–19:00 daily. No TTY or text-relay service is published.

WhatsApp — chat with a customer service agent

FlySafair centralises special-needs communication through its call centre on 087 357 0030; assistance can also be selected during online booking or in the app. No dedicated accessibility email address or TTY line 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

Conditional

Accepted only with prior arrangement 72 hours before departure under the WCBD service code, which the Help Desk says is 'limited to 2 passengers per each individual flight'. Sealed non-spill/dry-cell powered chairs are accepted 'with our prior approval'. FlySafair cannot carry devices over 136 kg, devices exceeding 114 cm wide x 86 cm high, spillable wet-cell chairs, or 'mobility aids requiring disassembly we cannot accommodate' — it has no facilities to dismantle large aids.

Special Assistance — accessible travel and special assistance services (battery-powered wheelchairs and scooters) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 FlySafair Help Desk — Special Passenger Assistance (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC/WCBD, batteries, 48 h and 72 h deadlines), updated 11 December 2024 (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Lithium-ion batteries

Yes

'Lithium batteries specifically certified as acceptable for air travel will be accepted, provided these are removed from the mobility aid and are stowed in the cabin with you.' The special-assistance page lists lithium-ion among the accepted battery types for battery-powered wheelchairs and scooters.

FlySafair Help Desk — Special Passenger Assistance (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC/WCBD, batteries, 48 h and 72 h deadlines), updated 11 December 2024 (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 Special Assistance — accessible travel and special assistance services (battery-powered wheelchairs and scooters) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Watt-hour cap — battery stays in the chair

Not published

No installed-battery watt-hour limit is published, because FlySafair requires lithium batteries to be removed from the mobility aid and carried in the cabin.

Watt-hour cap — battery removed into the cabin

300 Wh

'A single battery may be carried as carry-on luggage provided that it does not exceed a maximum of 300 watt-hours. If there are two batteries, a single battery may not exceed 160 Watt-hours.' The special-assistance page states the same as '≤300Wh for one battery or ≤160Wh each if carrying two'. Removal is done by ground handling staff at the aircraft door or in the PAU, guided by the passenger.

Watt-hour cap — spare battery

Not published

FlySafair publishes no spare-battery watt-hour limit for mobility aids. The 100 Wh and 101–160 Wh spare-battery figures in its dangerous-goods table are stated for spare batteries 'for portable electronic devices', not for wheelchairs.

What You Can and Can't Bring Onboard (dangerous goods table: wheelchairs, spare batteries) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Spare batteries permittedmaximum number under any published configuration

Not published

No spare-battery allowance is published for mobility aids. FlySafair's published spare counts (up to 20 spares rated 100 Wh or less; a maximum of 2 spares rated 101–160 Wh with airline approval) are stated for portable electronic devices and have not been imported here.

What You Can and Can't Bring Onboard (dangerous goods table: wheelchairs, spare batteries) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Battery must be removed

Conditional

Depends on chemistry. Lithium batteries must be removed from the mobility aid and stowed in the cabin with the passenger; ground handling staff remove them at the aircraft door or in the PAU under the passenger's guidance. Sealed non-spill / dry-cell batteries stay attached to the chair but must be disconnected with the terminals insulated.

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

Conditional

'Wheelchairs or mobility aids powered by sealed, non-spill/dry cell batteries are accepted for carriage as checked baggage with our prior approval. The battery should be disconnected, the battery terminals insulated to prevent accidental short circuits, and the battery should be securely attached to the wheelchair or mobility aid.'

Wet / spillable batteries

'Wheelchairs or other battery-powered mobility aids with unsealed, spill batteries will not be accepted for carriage on any flight, as these batteries are considered dangerous goods.' The special-assistance page lists 'spillable wet-cell battery wheelchairs' under 'We cannot carry'.

Terminal protection & immobilisation

Yes

'The battery should be disconnected, the battery terminals insulated to prevent accidental short circuits, and the battery should be securely attached to the wheelchair or mobility aid.' Devices 'must be fully powered down'.

Paperwork the airline wants

Yes

Lithium batteries must be 'specifically certified as acceptable for air travel'. FlySafair issues a special-needs form for wheelchair, mobility-aid and medical-equipment carriage which 'should be returned within 24 hours of receipt'; passengers travelling with an approved oxygen concentrator must also carry the FlySafair special assistance approval email.

Size limit for a powered chairAirline’s stated maximum wheelchair size

114 cm wide · 86 cm high

'Max dimensions: 114cm (width) x 86cm (height)' for battery-powered wheelchairs and scooters — FlySafair states these as the maximum device size, set 'in order to fit through the aircraft cargo compartment door'. Anything larger 'will not be accepted for carriage'. No length limit is published.

Weight limit for a powered chair

136 kg

Battery-powered wheelchairs and scooters must 'weigh less than or equal to 136kg'. 'No battery-powered wheelchairs or mobility aids weighing more than 136 kgs ... will be accepted for carriage.' The WCBD service code covers electric aids over 32 kg up to that 136 kg maximum.

Returned at the aircraft door

Not published

Not published. Batteries that must be removed are taken out 'either inside the PAU or at the aircraft door', but FlySafair does not say the chair itself is returned at the aircraft door on arrival.

FlySafair Help Desk — Special Passenger Assistance (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC/WCBD, batteries, 48 h and 72 h deadlines), updated 11 December 2024 (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

FlySafair says an electric mobility aid is transported 'securely in our hold, at your own risk' and asks passengers to make sure the device is insured. It has no facilities to dismantle large mobility aids.

Manual wheelchairs

Manual chairs accepted

Yes

'We are very happy to transport wheelchairs and walking frames etc for our passengers. These items are loaded into the front hold of the aircraft and promptly unloaded on the other side.' Non-battery-powered wheelchairs are listed as allowed in the dangerous-goods table.

FlySafair Help Desk — Special Needs Passengers: What to do at the airport, updated 12 June 2024 (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 What You Can and Can't Bring Onboard (dangerous goods table: wheelchairs, spare batteries) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Folding chair may travel in the cabin

'A passenger's own wheelchair or mobility aid will be carried free of charge and stowed in the aircraft hold for the duration of the flight'; the dangerous-goods table adds 'your wheelchair will be loaded in the cargo hold once you have been assisted to your seat'. Only walking aids such as sticks and crutches may be taken into the cabin.

FlySafair Help Desk — Special Passenger Assistance (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC/WCBD, batteries, 48 h and 72 h deadlines), updated 11 December 2024 (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29 What You Can and Can't Bring Onboard (dangerous goods table: wheelchairs, spare batteries) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

In-cabin stowage limit

Not published

Not published: FlySafair stows personal wheelchairs in the aircraft hold, not the cabin.

FlySafair Help Desk — Special Passenger Assistance (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC/WCBD, batteries, 48 h and 72 h deadlines), updated 11 December 2024 (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Size limit for a checked manual chair

Not published

No dimensions are published for a manual wheelchair. The 114 cm width x 86 cm height figures FlySafair publishes are stated for battery-powered wheelchairs and scooters. FlySafair also cannot carry 'mobility aids requiring disassembly we cannot accommodate'.

Special Assistance — accessible travel and special assistance services (battery-powered wheelchairs and scooters) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Weight limit for a manual chair

Not published

No weight limit is published for a manual wheelchair. The published 136 kg cap is stated for battery-powered wheelchairs and scooters; the WCBD service code covers electric aids over 32 kg and up to 136 kg.

Returned at the aircraft door

Not published

Not published as door or gate delivery. FlySafair says mobility aids 'are loaded into the front hold of the aircraft and promptly unloaded on the other side', and that airport staff will advise whether you can be taken to the aircraft in your own chair or must transfer to a FlySafair chair.

FlySafair Help Desk — Special Needs Passengers: What to do at the airport, updated 12 June 2024 (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

FlySafair provides assistance only from check-in to the aircraft and from the aircraft to arrivals — not from the car park, and not personal in-flight care. Passengers who need help during the flight must travel with an able-bodied assistant aged at least 16. Check-in is requested 90 minutes before departure (the airport article says at least one hour, 90 minutes recommended).

Booking & cost

Advance notice requiredhours before scheduled departure

72h

'All wheelchair requirements, excluding Electric Mobility Aids (WCBD), must be concluded no later than 48 hours prior to departure. Electric Mobility Aid requirements must be concluded 72 hours prior to departure.' Any forms issued must be returned within 24 hours of receipt. Service dogs, oxygen concentrators and hearing/vision assistance also use the 48-hour deadline.

How to request assistance

Select the assistance you need during online booking, or call the FlySafair call centre on 087 357 0030 to add it to an existing booking

'When booking your ticket online, simply select the assistance you need during the booking process ... no extra forms or calls needed.' For an existing booking, call the super service agents on 087 357 0030, daily 07:00–19:00. The Help Desk adds that special-needs bookings are centralised with the call centre's Special Needs department and may also be made in the mobile app.

Charge for carrying the aid

No fee

'Personal wheelchairs and mobility aids are transported free of charge. Some size and battery restrictions apply.' The Help Desk repeats: 'A passenger's own wheelchair or mobility aid will be carried free of charge and stowed in the aircraft hold for the duration of the flight.'

Mobility devices carried free

Not published

FlySafair does not publish a number of mobility devices carried free per passenger. It states that personal wheelchairs and mobility aids are free of charge, and that walking aids such as sticks and crutches may be taken on board.

If they damage your chair

Carried at the passenger's sole risk — FlySafair requires the passenger to insure the mobility aid

'The carriage of mobility aids is undertaken at your sole risk. It is the sole responsibility of the passenger to ensure that their mobility aid and accessories are adequately insured against all risks.' The special-assistance page repeats that devices 'travel at your own risk. We recommend they be insured', and for electric aids 'We will transport it securely in our hold, at your own risk.' No repair, replacement or convention figure is published.

On board

On-board aisle chair

Not published

FlySafair does not publish an on-board aisle chair. Ground assistance may use 'a slipper chair or Passenger Aid Unit (PAU)' to move a passenger, and assistance runs only from check-in to the aircraft and from the aircraft to arrivals.

Accessible lavatory

Not published

Not published. FlySafair states it does not provide personal in-flight care and that passengers who need help during the flight must travel with an able-bodied assistant.

Special Assistance — accessible travel and special assistance services (battery-powered wheelchairs and scooters) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Crew help you transfer

Yes

WCHC: 'Wheelchair assistance will be provided to and from the aircraft, along with aid for moving up and down stairs and to the passenger's seat. A PAU may be necessary.' An able-bodied assistant aged 16+ must accompany the passenger at all times; FlySafair does not provide personal in-flight care and does not carry stretcher passengers.

Seating & movable armrests

Passengers requiring special assistance, and their able-bodied assistants, cannot be seated in emergency exit rows

'For safety reasons, special assistance passengers cannot be seated in emergency exit rows.' The Help Desk extends this to passengers with injuries, medical passengers, pregnant passengers and travelling assistants. Passengers needing assistance usually board first and disembark last.

Fleet detail. FlySafair's 114 cm wide x 86 cm high maximum for battery-powered wheelchairs is set by the aircraft cargo compartment door; anything larger is refused. Manual wheelchairs and walking frames are loaded into the front hold.

Worth knowing

The public Special Assistance page carries the headline limits (136 kg, 114 x 86 cm, lithium removed into the cabin, ≤300 Wh for one battery or ≤160 Wh each for two), but the operative rules — the 48-hour / 72-hour deadlines, the WCBD service code, the prior-approval requirement for sealed non-spillable batteries and the flat 'at your sole risk' liability position — appear only in the FlySafair Help Desk (Zendesk) articles, which are the airline's own help centre and were last updated 11 December 2024 and 12 June 2024. Things a human should re-check: (1) FlySafair carries mobility aids free but disclaims liability entirely and tells passengers to insure the chair, which is unusually stark; (2) the Help Desk says the service is 'limited to 2 passengers per each individual flight', so a powered chair can be refused simply because two other passengers booked first; (3) the dangerous-goods table lists non-powered wheelchairs as allowed in carry-on baggage, contradicting FlySafair's own statement that the chair goes to the cargo hold — the hold statement is what is recorded here. The 20-spare / 2-spare battery counts in that table are for portable electronic devices and have deliberately not been imported as a wheelchair spare allowance. FlySafair does not fly to the USA and publishes no CRO/ACAA page.

Sources

Every figure above traces to one of these.

s1 Special Assistance — accessible travel and special assistance services (battery-powered wheelchairs and scooters) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
s2 FlySafair Help Desk — Special Passenger Assistance (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC/WCBD, batteries, 48 h and 72 h deadlines), updated 11 December 2024 (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
s3 FlySafair Help Desk — Special Needs Passengers: What to do at the airport, updated 12 June 2024 (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
s4 What You Can and Can't Bring Onboard (dangerous goods table: wheelchairs, spare batteries) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
s5 FlySafair Contact Centre (087 357 0030, help@flysafair.co.za, WhatsApp) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29

Record status researched · confidence high · 5 official sources · 5 contacts · 69% of the fields this reference tracks are answered. Newest source read 29 July 2026, the day before this page was built. What these mean.

Safair

Who to contact

Read it from the source

Powered wheelchairs & batteries

Manual wheelchairs

Booking & cost

On board

Worth knowing

Sources

Record quality