Has anyone received special airport assistance? Has anyone applied to use free seat arrangement?

happyfella

I have told my doctor i am hoping to go abroad next year after not being on holiday for about five years. he has told me about special assistance at the airport and about free choosing your own seat. my wife, daughter and myself are going on holiday. very nervous to be honest.

I do not want to make a fuss but my doctor, wife and daughter have said that i need the help. but i am not sure.

i do not mind asking for free seating arrangements as i have looked and at the moment tui want i think about £50, so would be happy to save that money if possible.

I would like to know if anyone has applied to use the free seat arrangement with tui and how they did it, and also if anyone has received special assistance from the airline or airport and what it entails

Tori_Scope

Hi @happyfella  

This isn't something I've been through myself, so I hope another member with some personal experience will see your post soon. 

I did find this FAQ page on TUI's website, which you may find helpful.

I need a specific seat on my flight due to my medical condition, how can I book my seat?

If you need a particular seat because of your medical condition, call our Special Assistance Team on 020 3451 2585 so we can check what seats are available. Both you and your carer will be allocated seats for free, so there is no need to purchase a seating product. Calls from UK landlines cost the standard rate, but calls from mobiles may be higher. Check with your network provider.

Just so you know, on some flights, seats are only available on a request basis, and not all of these specific seats offer extra leg room.

Other airlines
If you're travelling with an airline other than TUI, you may not be able to book specific seats. However, let us know what seats you need and we'll do our best to arrange this for you. If you're not sure who you're flying with, take a look at "Which airline am I flying with?".

Who will help me at the airport?

Airport operators within the EU are responsible for helping anyone with a disability or mobility difficulty, and that includes sensory impairments and learning difficulties.

As the tour operator, we're responsible for passing your requirements on to the airports before you travel so the necessary arrangements can be made. Each airport will have a team of people dedicated to providing assistance.

Where does the assistance start from at the airport?

You can get assistance from various points within the airport. You'll need to look out for assistance points, which are usually at the main entrances and in the car parks and connecting transport areas. Each airport will also have an assistance desk.

Alternatively, if you're okay until after check-in, you can just make yourself known to the check-in staff and they'll arrange assistance for you from there.

You might find it useful to look on the airport website before you travel to see the layout of the airport and how far it is between certain areas - this will help you decide on the amount of help you'll need.

Have you had a think about what assistance you might find useful at the airport? 

I hope that you enjoy your holiday when it comes around  

Poppy_

Hi, how are you today? I, pre covid, travelled a bit, maybe once every couple years. Personally, I have found assistance at the airport to be hit and miss, a lot of the time, they are there to help, other times, they are late and you nearly miss your flight. I have found that getting to the airport early and notifying special assistance as soon as possible after check in works well. After, I usually go through security, etc and get to the gate about an hour before, just so I’m settled in the place I need to be. If you let the flight staff know your at the gate soon as possible, then special assistance may be chased early on, as they understand that they can be in consistent, depending on the time of day.  If you require assistance on to the plane, then assistance will help with that, depending on how people are boarding the plane, if stairs are involved, etc. Special assistance will also be available on arrival and, usually, it’s a first on, last off situation. This is where those with special assistance are first on and last off on arrival.
I hope this helps.☺️

poppy123456

Yes, i've had airport assistance quite a few times from this country and the country ive travelled to, going out and coming home. I was very happy with the service i received both ends. They take everyone in your partner so you won't be parted ( at least they did for me)

Can't advise about the seat though.