Barrier-free Travel 

In order to offer you best possible service please notify your travel agency or airline of your needs for special assistance at least 48 hours prior to departure. This applies both to your departing flight from Bern as well as your arriving flight. 

• Please assess your requirements for special assistance realistically, especially if you cannot walk long distances by yourself. In Bern the walking distances are usually short, but this might not be the case at your destination airport.
• Please tell the ground staff at the airport what sort of assistance you need so that we can provide the best possible support.

Airlines worldwide use special reservation codes for the level and type of special assistance required. In order to give you assistance as best as possible, we ask you to answer the following questions. Your information will be treated confidentially and only used for special assistance needs.

Examples:

1. What kind of condition or disability do you have ?
2. Are you able to walk from the terminal building to the aircraft or do you need a wheelchair ?
3. If you do need a wheelchair, will you be using your own one ?
4. Is your wheelchair foldable and / or motorized ? Your airline will need to know this even if they have not asked you this before your flight. The airline will also want to know what type of battery your wheelchair uses and whether these batteries are safe to be loaded on board an aircraft. Also the airline needs to know the weight and size of your electric wheelchair, wheelchair tug or mobility scooter.  You may be asked to remove the control box (power module) from your wheelchair and to put it in your hand luggage so as to avoid loss or damage to the control box during the flight.
5. Does anyone need to push the wheelchair ?
6. Are you able to ascend and descend the steps to the aircraft or do you need assistance with boarding and deboarding the aircraft ?
7. Are you able to move from your wheelchair into your seat on the aircraft ?
8. Have you checked with your airline to see if they provide wheelchair accessible toilets and an onboard wheelchair so that you can move yourself to and from the toilet during the flight ?
9. What kind of assistance do you need during the flight ? The flight attendants cannot assist you with eating your meal, with your taking of medication nor can they assist you inside the toilet or with lifting you out of or into your seat or the wheelchair. If you do need this sort of help you will need to travel with a suitable accompanying person.
10. What type of seat do you prefer (aisle seat, center seat, window seat) ? For safety reasons you are not allowed to sit by an emergency exit if you have a disability.
11. Are you carrying any medical equipment with you on the flight ?
12. Do you suffer from asthma or any other kind of respiratory problem ?
13. If you are in a serious medical condition you must notify your airline. You may be asked to provide medical clearance (a doctor’s note). The staff at the airport might also ask you to show a medical clearance that it’s safe for you to fly if they feel it is necessary.

If you need a wheelchair please notify us when making your reservation. Please inform your travel agent or airline whether or not you are bringing your own wheelchair with you. If you have a powered (motorized) wheelchair or mobility scooter please inform them of the make and type, the size, the type of battery used in it and the weight of your wheelchair or mobility scooter. Your wheelchair and wheelchair tug or mobility scooter will be carried with no extra charge.

Certified guide and assistance dogs must be pre-advised to the airline. Usually these dogs can travel free of charge in the cabin with the passenger. Your travel agency or the embassy or consulate of your destination country can advise you of documentation needed for your dog. Please make sure you have any necessary documentation before checking-in for your flight.

By public transport
You can reach Bern airport with the airport bus service (BERNMOBIL bus service 160) via Belp railway station. Belp railway station is wheelchair accessible. If you need assistance with boarding or deboarding the train please call the Call Center Handicap of SBB Swiss Federal Railways, phone no. 0800 007 102 or +41 51 225 78 44 if you are callling from abroad. Please call ahead at least one hour before you start your journey. The airport bus is equipped with a wheelchair ramp and the driver will lower the ramp for wheelchair passengers.

By taxi
You can order a taxi specially designed for persons with disabilities and which has space for wheelchairs at BETAX (www.betax.ch), phone no. 031 990 30 90 or+41 31 990 30 90 if you are calling from abroad.

By car
On car park P31 there are 3 parking spaces suitable for disabled persons. These spaces are close by the road leading to and from the terminal building. The walking distance to the terminal is approximately 100 meters (110 yards).

Departing from Bern airport
If you need special assistance for your journey please come to the check-in counter at least one hour before your flight departure time. The staff will help you within 10 minutes and will make sure you are seated in the aircraft in good time. If you were unable to notify us in good time or if you are late at the check-in, we will do all we can to help you, but cannot guarantee you will reach your flight in time.

Special assistance at the airport
Next to the check-in counters in the terminal building there is a separate counter marked Persons with Reduced Mobility. If you need help from the car park or the bus stop to the check-in, please call us ahead on phone number +41 (0)31 960 21 31. So as to give you the best possible service and keep your waiting time as short as possible you must notify your airline or travel agency when you make your flight reservation, or alternatively at least 48 hours before your flight departure time of the kind of assistance you require.

Walking distances at the airport 
The walking distances at Bern airport are mostly short and they are all at ground level.

• The distance from the Passengers with Reduced Mobility parking spaces on car park P31 and the passenger terminal is approximately 100 meters (110 yards).
• The distance from the check-in counters to the furthest aircraft position is approximately 200 meters (220 yards).

Please consider that at the airport of your destination the walking distances can be considerably longer and that you might need more assistance there than at Bern airport.

Going through security
If you like we can accompany you through security. If you are in a wheelchair and cannot stand up, you may be searched individually with a body search carried out in a private area. If you are carrying medication on your person (e.g. hypodermic needles or multi-dose spray pumps) or if you have an artificial limb or joint or if you have a pace maker, please notify your airline in advance and also tell the security guards at the airport. Please have your medical card (doctor’s note) ready.

Boarding and deboarding 
You must detach the battery from your electric or powered wheelchair or mobility scooter before the flight. You can use your own wheelchair as far as the aircraft steps (there are no jet bridges or jetwalks at Bern) then your wheelchair will be loaded in the baggage compartment. At your arrival airport your wheelchair will be handed back to you at the aircraft steps. If your electric wheelchair or mobility scooter needs any kind of special safety handling into the baggage compartment or if it has to be carried up steps to the aircraft door, as may be the case at certain airports with jet bridges, and if the handling of it could be hazardous to staff, the airline may not allow you to use your own wheelchair.

On Board
Please make sure you have enough medication in your hand luggage for the duration of the flight and that you have some extra quantities in case your flight is delayed. If you suffer from sensory deprivation or another hidden disability the airline staff will introduce themselves to you and assist you adequately during the flight and  also explain the standard emergency procedures to you if you cannot follow the usual emergency demonstrations.
Please notify your airline if you need to use your medical equipment such as e.g. a portable oxygen concentrator (POC).

Landing at Bern airport
If you need help after landing at Bern airport please notify your travel agency or your airline when making your reservation or at the latest 48 hours before your flight departure time. If you have prenotified your needs for special assistance you should not have to wait more than 5 minutes after your flight parks on arrival. We will then support you on the way from the aircraft to the arrival area, through immigration and customs and will help with your luggage.

After your journey
We hope you received all necessary support and assistance at the airport and on board your flight and that your journey was as comfortable as possible. If you encountered a problem or inadequate help please notify the airline or the airport. If you feel you have not received an appropriate explanation you may contact the Swiss Federal Office for Civil Aviation (FOCA). 

The European Community (EC) regulation no. 1107/2006  of the European Parliament and Council of 5 July 2006 concerning the rights of disabled air travelers and air travelers with reduced mobility. Details are available under www.europa.eu.

Quality standards for special assiatance services 
Provided that special assistance has been booked in advance
Special assistance for passengers arriving or departing with a flight in Bern and who have pre booked a special assistance with the airline or travel agency at least 48 hours before the flight.

Please note: If you do not arrive within the time the airline or travel agency has asked you to be at the airport, the special assistance service cannot guarantee you will reach your flight on time. If your airline or travel agency did not indicate any particular time, you must contact the check-in or the Welcome Desk (Info Desk) which is marked Passengers with Reduced Mobility at least 45 minutes before the scheduled departure time of your flight. If you arrive at the airport later than the recommended time, it is up to the airline to decide whether you can take your flight.