Wheelchairs and other mobility aids (2025)

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The earlier you tell us about the assistance you need, the better we can prepare to support your travel experience.

If you will be travelling with your own wheelchair, scooter, or similar mobility device, we recommend you take the following actions well in advance of your flights:

  • Verify that WestJet can safely accommodate your mobility aid before booking your travel, especially with respect to large, heavy, or powered mobility aids.
  • Be aware there are strict regulations governing travelling with a battery, verify in advance that your battery is accepted for air travel, and be prepared to make any required arrangements such as disconnection, removal, or placing in an approved travel case.
  • Review your owner's manual so that you are familiar with and can describe in detail how your mobility aid should be prepared for transport. If possible, bringing your owner's manual and any required tools to the airport.


Once you have confirmed acceptance of your device, or for those guests not traveling with a device of their own, we recommend that you inform us of the mobility support you need as early as possible, and a minimum of 48 hours before travel. We will make every reasonable effort to meet requests made within 48 hours before flight departure.

How to add a wheelchair assistance request to your booking:

  • WestJet.com bookings
    • If you are making a new booking on WestJet.com, please be sure to indicate the required services from the options in the "Accessibility Request" section on the "Guest details page" (where you enter your name).
    • If you have an existing booking and would like to add wheelchair service, please search for your booking using Manage trips, then select "Guest Info". Choose an option from the "Accessibility Request" section and save your selection.
  • If you are reserving through WestJet’s call center or a travel agent, you may have the accessibility services request be added to your reservation for any new or existing booking.

Wheelchair assistance service level options:

WestJet offers several levels of mobility support to meet the needs of our guests. Choosing the right option well in advance allows us to be best prepared to support your travel experience.

Choosing the right option is especially important for guests travelling on a WestJet Encore flight, as most Encore flights are ground-loaded. This may also be the case with other aircraft types from time to time depending on operational circumstances and airport capabilities.

Please review the information below for a detailed description of each available assistance request option.

Option 1 – Help only within the airport

This request indicates that you primarily require a wheelchair for distance, including a wheelchair from check in to/from the aircraft, but that you are able to walk unassisted:

  • Up and down steps, and
  • To and from the door of the aircraft to your seat, and
  • To and from your seat to the lavatory on the aircraft

Option 2 – Help to the gate and I am not able to walk up or down steps

This request indicates that you cannot walk up or down steps, but that you will be able to walk unassisted to/from:

  • The door of the aircraft to your seat, and
  • Your seat to the lavatory on the aircraft

Option 3 – Help to the aircraft and I need to be transferred to/from my seat

This request indicates that you are immobile and require:

  • A wheelchair upon check-in to get to/from the aircraft, and
  • Transfer up and down stairs, and
  • Transfer assistance into the cabin, into your seat, and between your seat and the aircraft lavatory

WestJet provides a range of assistive services. Visit our assistance services page to view the full list.

With respect to our assistive services to/from the aircraft, upon request, we will:

  • Provide you with assistance to and from the door of the aircraft
  • Assist before and after the flight in transferring you between your wheelchair or mobility aid to our wheelchair and the aircraft seat
  • Bring you to the entrance of an airport washroom using a wheelchair. If you require assistance for personal care at any time during your travel, please review the personal attendant information in the General section
  • Allow for you to use your personal wheelchair or mobility aid until it becomes necessary to store it, and return it to you promptly upon arrival
  • Bring you to a designated location near the gate and periodically check on you
  • Allow you to board before other guests in order to help you locate your seat and store any personal item and carry-on baggage permitted by the fare purchased. Once general boarding begins, you may be required to board after other passengers.

WestJet provides a range of assistive services. Visit ourassistance services pageto view the full list.

If you require transfer assistance, please ensure you select the assistance option “Help to the aircraft and I need to be transferred to/from my seat” in your reservation. In cases where that level of assistance has been requested:

  • If you can self-transfer, please advise the person assisting you.
  • In airports where a mechanical lift and trained staff are available, it will be used to transfer guests. When available these lifting devices must be used.
  • In all other cases a manual transfer will be provided.


To ensure your safety and the safety of the person assisting you, transfer service is limited to 200 kg (440 pounds) in all cases.

We will assist you, if necessary, in disassembling your mobility aid or powered mobility aid, packaging it for travel, and reassembling it upon arrival.

To ensure this can be done, you are required to:

  • Check in for your flight at least thirty minutes earlier than the recommended check-in time to ensure we have adequate time to prepare your mobility aid for the flight.
  • Provide detailed instructions on the disassembly and reassembly of your mobility aid, ideally by bringing the owner manual to the airport. If you don't have your owner's manual or cannot provide instructions on how to deactivate the battery power and we cannot deactivate or disconnect your battery when required for safety, it will not be possible to accept your mobility aid for transport on the basis of ensuring flight safety.
  • Provide any specialized tools needed for assembling or disassembling the mobility aid.
  • Take any easily removable pieces that are within the carry-on baggage dimensions, such as baskets, joysticks, cushions, headrests, etc. on board with you.
  • Remove and keep with you the key for mobility devices that require a key to start and operate, provided doing so does not immobilize the device.

WestJet provides a range of assistive services. Visit ourassistance services pageto view the full list.

All aircraft types are equipped with an onboard wheelchair to assist you during travel. Our cabin crew will assist you with transferring you between your seat and the washroom using the onboard wheelchair. We will also offer you stability as you enter and exit the washroom.

If you require additional assistance at any time during your travel, including during the event of an emergency evacuation or decompression, please review the personal attendant information in the General section.

One medically required guest-owned wheelchair or scooter is accepted per guest at no charge in addition to the checked baggage allowance. Baggage charges will apply to any additional wheelchairs or scooters.

Our Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft can accommodate two guest-owned folding wheelchairs in the passenger cabin storage. These are provided on a first-come / first-served basis, and one per guest. Additional wheelchairs are transported in the cargo compartment.

For all other aircraft, guest-owned wheelchairs and scooters are transported in the cargo compartment.

It is essential to verify that WestJet can accommodate your mobility aid before booking your travel, even if you have previously traveled with the same mobility aid with WestJet or another airline.

If you plan to transport your mobility aid in the aircraft’s cargo compartment, it must fit through the cargo door and be within the maximum weight provided below for it to be accepted for transport.

Non-Powered Devices: Depending on the aircraft operating your flight, the cargo configuration may require non-powered mobility aids to be turned onto their side to fit into the cargo compartment. If your non-powered mobility aid exceeds the applicable size limits while upright and cannot be turned on its side, it cannot be accepted for transport.

Powered Devices: Powered mobility aids must always remain in an upright position during handling, including when being moved into the cargo storage compartment of the aircraft. Therefore, the height and width dimensions of powered mobility aids are measured in an upright position to determine if they can be accepted for transport.

For powered mobility aids which will have their batteries removed for travel, the weight of the mobility device with the batteries removed is used in respect of maximum weight limits.

Mobility Aid Specifications
Aircraft Fleet typeMaximum Weight
Maximum Dimensions
(Powered devices measured upright)

Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

ULD Container Loaded*

500 Lbs

Height: 64 inches

Width: 61 inches

Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner

Bulk Baggage Loaded

300 Lbs

Height: 45 inches

Width: 40 inches

Boeing 737

300 Lbs

Height: 35 inches

Width: 48 inches

De Havilland Dash 8-400300 Lbs

Height: 59 inches

Width: 51 inches

*WestJet preloads items into a container, then loads the container into the aircraft cargo compartment. Containers measure 64 in. (162.4 cm) in height, while depth and width vary by container.

Please note, that due to operational circumstances, we may change the aircraft operating a specific flight without notice. We will do all we can to accommodate your mobility device, however, we may need to change your reservation to ensure your mobility aid can be accommodated. If your mobility aid does not fit or is too heavy, we will work with you to identify alternative arrangements. If you decide to travel on an alternative itinerary to the same destination, there will be no additional charge.

The maximum weight and dimensions above are for WestJet operated flights. If you are travelling with another airline, including one of WestJet’s partner airlines, you will be required to contact all carriers on your itinerary to confirm this process, their notification and reservation requirements, and acceptance of your mobility aid. We do not transfer or arrange transfer of mobility aids to other airlines.

For powered mobility devices of any type, there are strict safety regulations for travelling with a battery or battery-operated equipment. Please see our information about batteries for complete details.

Wheelchairs and other mobility aids (2025)
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