Assistance during your journey

This service must be requested at the time of booking and generally commences once you've checked in. Depending on your specific needs, we can help with:

• assisting you from check-in to the departure gate by airport wheelchair or people mover and from arrival gate to baggage claim
• meeting you at the departure/arrival gate to collect/deliver your mobility aid (where possible).

Our seating allocation system gives appropriate consideration to passengers with specific needs. This includes:

• not seating passengers with specific needs in the exit rows due to Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) requirements
• where possible, seating passengers with specific needs in aisle seats with movable armrests
• blocking spare seats, where possible, for passengers travelling with Service Dogs where there is a seat available. For passengers travelling in First and Business, the Service Dog is generally able to sit at the passenger's feet. 
• ensuring the assistant or carer, if we have been told prior that the passenger is travelling with one, sits adjacent to or near you, where possible; or
• seating passengers with specific needs, where possible and when there is an accessible toilet onboard, as close to the accessible toilet as possible. 

You can request particular seating requirements when booking or at check-in. Where possible, we’ll attempt to accommodate seating requests.

If you change flights at short notice it may not be possible to accommodate all seating requests.

Torso harnesses

All of our international and domestic aircraft are equipped with torso harness restraints enabling a customer to remain upright during take-off, landing and if necessary, throughout the entire flight.

In some classes on certain aircraft however, torso restraints are not able to be used. Please contact us for assistance with your specific needs before you travel to confirm this. 

Our torso harness restraint is made from seat belt webbing, lamb’s wool and installed using the existing aircraft seat belt. For safety reasons, customers are unable to provide their own torso restraint (with the exception of a CARES harness for children).

If you need to use a restraint please give us at least 48 hours' notice. Where less than 48 hours' notice is given, we’ll attempt to have a torso harness restraint available for that flight, but cannot guarantee one will be available.

Our torso harness restraint is suitable for adult and child use.

Pressure relief cushions

You are welcome to use your own pressure relief cushion whilst onboard, provided:

• your seat belt can be fastened and released without hindrance; and
• your cushion sits wholly within your seat space, without encroaching on the space of adjacent seats, protruding into the aisle, or into the leg space in front of the seat; and
• you adhere to any other additional requirements or instructions from our crew, specific to the type of cushion, whether it be inflatable or non-inflatable.

Non-inflatable pressure cushion requirements

Non-inflatable pressure cushions are approved for use by customers with a disability during all phases of flight, provided:

• the cushion is no greater than 7cm thick; or;
• the customer has been given individual pre-approval for use.

If the cushion is greater than 7cm thick, you can contact us to request approval for use of the cushion. 

It is the responsibility of you or your carer to place the cushion correctly on the seat.

Inflatable pressure cushion requirements

If you require the use of an inflatable pressure cushion, you may sit on the cushion during all phases of flight. However, the cushion can only be in an inflated state after takeoff and before landing, ie. during cruise. 

It is the responsibility of you or your carer to:

• place the cushion correctly on the seat; and
• inflate the cushion when the seat belt sign is extinguished after takeoff; and
• deflate the cushion during cabin preparation for landing.

The cushion may remain inflated during turbulence.

Qantas may be able to organise a special meal if you have dietary, medical needs or religious beliefs. Conditions and restrictions apply, including the amount of time that Qantas requires to order a special meal. These meals must be requested at time of reservation and can be requested online through dietary required meals.

Passengers with specific needs will generally board before other passengers and disembark last after other passengers.

To ensure we have sufficient time to help you board the aircraft, we need you to complete all security and immigration formalities (if applicable) and be at the departure gate:

• 40 minutes before departure at domestic terminals
• 60 minutes before departure at international terminals (irrespective of whether the travel to be undertaken is a domestic or international sector of an international flight).

If you aren’t at the departure gate at these designated times, it may not be possible for you to travel on your booked flight and you may need to be re-booked onto the next available service.

Our friendly staff will provide assistance to passengers with mobility limitations, where required, including transferring passengers to and from their mobility aids and the aircraft seat.

If you’ve purchased a ticket that includes travel on another airline, be aware not all airlines offer the same specific assistance as Qantas. If travelling on another airline, you’ll need to discuss your specific assistance requirements both with the other airline and with Qantas.

Contact us for assistance with your specific needs as soon as possible to avoid inconvenience.

If your travel includes a transit, please ensure that you allow sufficient time between flights to facilitate the transfer of your mobility aid.