Our Disability Assistance Services

There's no charge for selecting a preferred seat if you have a specific seating requirement because of a medical condition or physical disability.

To reserve your seat, contact our Disability Assistance Desk at least 48 hours in advance of travel and advise the nature of your disability and assistance required.

If you did not make your seating reservations within 48 hours of your flight, we will make reasonable efforts to accommodate your request.

You can find out more at Special or Extra Seating.

You can bring your mobility aid or any other assistive device at no extra charge in addition to the standard baggage allowance, as long as it’s for your personal use.

We will carry your assistive devices as priority checked baggage when stored in the cargo hold, or in the aircraft cabin where space permits.

You can learn more at Baggage.

Online check-in

You can check in online 24 hours before your flight departs, unless your reservation contains a special request that requires you to see a Porter representative at the airport.

• Check in online and print your boarding pass now!

At the airport

When checking in at the airport, please arrive at least 90 minutes before the scheduled departure time of your flight so we can provide you with the best possible service.

Airport assistance

To help us make your journey flow smoothly, it is always a good idea to let our airport staff know of any special requirements when checking in at the airport, even if your special assistance request has already been noted on the reservation at the time of booking.

Porter staff is available to assist you during boarding, deplaning and connecting flights.

We provide connecting flight assistance for those who may need help from one departure gate to another at the same terminal. While we will never leave you unattended for long periods of time, we are not able to provide a personal attendant while waiting at the gate. Should your condition require this level of attention, you should make arrangements for travelling with a personal attendant or request a gate pass for an escort.

We speak your language

If you speak a language other than French or English, please notify us of your spoken language. Many of our employees speak several languages.

Meet and assist service

This service is available once you have checked in and is accessible to all who are travelling with multiple children, a cognitive or developmental impairment, elderly not requiring a wheelchair or a young adult (12 to 17 year old).

Depending on your specific needs, Porter can help with the following:

• Assist you from Check-In to the departure gate and from the arrival gate to Baggage Claim.
• Meet you at the departure gate to collect your mobility aid or assistive device (where applicable).
• Meet you at the arrival gate to deliver your mobility aid or assistive device (where applicable).

Gate pass

As an added courtesy, you may request a gate pass for a family member or friend to escort you to the gate when departing or from the gate in your arrival city. A gate pass may be requested free of charge at the check-in counter to escort an unaccompanied minor, an elderly passenger or a passenger with a disability needing assistance (push the wheelchair, provide extensive personal assistance not provided by airline staff, such as help within a washroom or a sign language interpreter).

Due to security regulations, the gate pass service may not be available for all flights. The airport has the final approval of this request based on the current security level. The individual requesting the gate pass must present valid government-issued photo identification.

Boarding assistance

If you require a little extra time to board or need assistance, Porter offers pre-boarding as an option. This courtesy is offered upon request to both you and your travel companion.

You must be present at the gate when pre-boarding commences to take advantage of this accommodation. The pre-boarding announcement will be broadcast prior to the general boarding.

Airport boarding methods - bridge or stairs?

At airports where a jet-bridge is not available, we will use alternate boarding methods to assist those who are unable to climb five stairs without assistance.

These include, but are not limited to an Amazon Stair Climber, an elevator or a ramp. When the ramp is used, passengers with limited mobility will be assisted to board the aircraft through the aft (rear) aircraft door.

If you need curbside assistance, we recommend that you request it in advance by contacting our Disability Assistance line at least 48 hours prior to your flight’s departure. Porter will make reasonable efforts to accommodate requests made within 48 hours of your departure.

Please also note that due to safety concerns, Porter staff is unable to provide passenger transfer assistance to and from vehicles.

Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport (YTZ)

Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport is wheelchair accessible, either by the ferry ride across the channel or by the pedestrian tunnel, with elevators on both the mainland and the island entrances.

Airport Terminal

If you have pre-arranged the curbside assistance service, we will come to meet you at the main Terminal entrance on the island, next to the Passenger Drop Off area. We recommend that you arrive on the island at least 90 minutes before the scheduled departure time of your flight so that we can properly assist you.

To take your vehicle on the ferry free of charge, please display your accessible parking permit on the dashboard or produce a copy of your itinerary to show that you have requested disability assistance. Vehicles dropping off passengers with disabilities will not be charged; however, vehicles that intend to park on the island will be charged both ferry and parking fees.

When your vehicle exits the ferry, please proceed to the Passenger Drop Off area, ahead and to the right. Our airport staff can be reached through the courtesy intercom located inside the main Terminal entrance. Designated seating/waiting area is located inside the Terminal next to the entrance doors.

Passenger Ferry Terminal

For curbside assistance, you may also choose to be dropped off in front of the passenger Ferry Terminal on the mainland. Our airport staff can be reached through the courtesy intercom located inside the main Ferry Terminal entrance. The customer service ambassador will be dispatched from the airport to meet you at the Ferry Terminal waiting area. Designated seating/waiting area is located inside the Ferry Terminal next to the entrance doors.

During peak travel periods, we appreciate your patience in the event you have to wait a few extra minutes for a wheelchair or for additional assistance

Download Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport map (PDF)

Our flight attendants are highly qualified to ensure you receive both in-flight safety and comfort. Upon request, they will periodically inquire about your needs and well-being during the flight.

Once onboard, just sit back and relax while our flight attendants take care of the rest, such as:

• Stowing or retrieving carry-on items, including mobility aids and other assistive devices stowed on board the aircraft
• Providing an individual safety briefing to those whose disability keeps them from receiving the information presented in the general briefing
• Identifying food items and opening packages
• Using the onboard wheelchair

However, our flight attendants are not permitted to:

• Assist with feeding or personal hygiene and lavatory functions
• Lift or carry passengers
• Provide medical services such as giving injections or administering medication

If your medical condition requires others to provide this type of care, you should travel with a personal attendant who can see to these needs during the flight.

Onboard wheelchair

All Porter aircrafts are equipped with an onboard wheelchair designed to fit in the aisle. Our cabin crew uses it to assist passengers with reduced mobility to move to and from the aircraft lavatory.

Please note for health and safety reasons, our crew cannot assist with moving you from your seat to the onboard wheelchair or from the chair onto the toilet. You must be able to use the grab bars to transfer yourself.

To facilitate seating, our seats are equipped with movable armrests.

Onboard lavatory

Easy-access lavatory is located at the very front of the aircraft next to the cockpit.

Lavatory door handles and locks, grab bars, soap dispensers, faucets, flush controls are designed to be operable with minimal effort.

The lavatory is equipped with assist handles (grab bars), however it cannot accommodate a wheelchair. You must be able to move from your seat to the onboard wheelchair or from the chair onto the toilet. You must be able to use the assist handles to transfer yourself.

If you need assistance exiting the aircraft, getting through the terminal or need a wheelchair waiting at your destination, we’re happy to help. All we ask is for a little patience on your part!

To better assist you and for the safety of everyone, we ask that you remain seated until other passengers have left the aircraft. At that point, it will be much easier for our ground staff to come onboard to help you. This usually takes about 10 minutes or so.

Upon arrival at your destination airport, your wheelchair will be returned to you immediately after disembarking at the gate. The exceptions are some battery operated wheelchairs or scooters that may require special handling. These assistive devices will be returned at Baggage Claim and you will be offered a service wheelchair for use until your own wheelchair has been retrieved.

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

If you have purchased a ticket that includes travel on another airline, you will need to notify the other airline of your specific travel needs as well. Be aware that not all airlines offer the same type of assistance.

When connecting to or from any other airline, including interline flights, you are responsible for making independent arrangements directly with the other airline and notifying them of any specific travel needs.