Air Canada expands mobility aid allowance
Air Canada announced Friday that it's expanding its mobility aid policy, now allowing customers to bring up to three mobility aids on a flight free of charge. The move is one of the more significant accessibility updates from the airline in recent years, and it comes as carriers across the country face growing scrutiny over how they transport wheelchairs, scooters, and other assistive devices.
What's changing
Under the expanded policy, passengers can check as many as three mobility aids per flight without paying additional baggage fees. Previously, travellers with multiple devices, such as a primary wheelchair alongside a walker or a second piece of specialized equipment, could face extra charges or logistical hurdles when checking more than one item.
Mobility aids, which include wheelchairs, scooters, walkers, and other assistive devices, are already exempt from standard baggage limits under most Canadian airline policies. This update goes further by explicitly raising the number of devices covered under that exemption to three.
Why it matters
Airlines across North America have faced mounting criticism over damaged or mishandled mobility devices, with advocacy groups pushing for stronger protections for passengers with disabilities. In Canada, the issue has drawn attention from the Canadian Transportation Agency, which has worked to strengthen accessibility rules for air travel in recent years.
For travellers who rely on more than one assistive device, whether that's a wheelchair for getting through the airport and a separate piece of equipment for use at their destination, the previous limits could mean unexpected costs or the need to leave a device behind. Air Canada's expanded policy removes that barrier for up to three items.
What travellers should know
Passengers planning to travel with multiple mobility aids should still notify Air Canada ahead of their flight, as is standard practice for any assistive device, to ensure proper handling and storage. The airline has not indicated any change to how devices are gate-checked or stored during flights, only that the fee exemption now extends to a third device.
As Canada's largest airline, Air Canada's policies often set a benchmark for the rest of the industry. Advocacy groups have long pushed for national standards on how airlines handle assistive devices, and moves like this one could put pressure on other Canadian carriers to match the expanded allowance.
For Ottawa residents flying out of the Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport, the updated policy applies the same way it does system-wide, meaning local travellers with multiple mobility aids stand to benefit directly the next time they book a flight.
Source: CBC News
