A passenger boarded a Canadian intermediate flight in January 2024. He had his electric wheelchair with him, because this enabled him to travel. There was a heated debate on boarding, after the pilot ruled the gel battery was dangerous. We investigated the matter, because the aggrieved passenger was convinced his power chair gel batteries were legitimate baggage.
Power Chair Gel Batteries Were The Passenger’s Legs
IATA restricts the size of lithium-ion batteries passengers may load on aircraft. We gather this includes those batteries in power chairs and other electric mobility devices. After the passenger was unable to disconnect his power chair gel batteries, the pilot apparently said he was a ‘serious threat’ and ‘walked away’.
“I felt I was being discriminated against because I’m in a chair,” the passenger later told Yahoo News . “My power chair is my legs. It’s how I get around. I cannot stand. I cannot walk, so I have to have it.” The airline apologized for the inconvenience, and booked him on a replacement flight the following day. However, they insisted the airline had the right to disconnect the battery.
What Do The IATA Rules Have To Say About This?
The IATA Dangerous Goods Guidance for Passengers (see link below) lays down the following rules:
I have a disability and want to travel with my battery-powered wheelchair. Can I travel by air with that?
Yes, but there are different procedures depending on the type of the batteries your wheelchair uses. Most modern types use gel-type non-spillable batteries, which are considered to be non-dangerous and can be loaded along with the checked baggage in the cargo compartment of an aircraft.
Older “wet cell” batteries will require disconnection of the battery and possibly removal of the battery from the wheelchair with the battery being packed in a special box, depending on the type of aircraft.
Lithium battery powered wheelchairs will also have additional requirements, please check with the manufacturer/distributor of your wheelchair and battery to get appropriate documentation.
Passengers traveling with a mobility aid should make advance arrangements with the airline and provide information on the type of battery installed and on the handling of the mobility aid (including instructions on how to isolate the battery).
All this might have been unnecessary if the pilot had understood that power chair gel batteries are safe airline baggage. We believe they can be loaded in the cargo compartment without first disconnecting the batteries. However, this does not apply to those with liquid electrolyte.
More Information
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Passenger Aircraft Battery Fire Precautions
