Special Assistance for USA Travel

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Services for Customers with Special Need Traveling to/from USA

Ethiopian Airlines is committed to providing safe, convenient, and comfortable service. This guide helps you plan your trip if you’re a passenger with a disability.

Note

These services apply only to Ethiopian Airlines flights to/from the USA. If you're flying with another airline, contact them directly as policies may differ.

We recommend requesting special services (e.g., wheelchair assistance) when you book.

You’re not required to disclose your disability. But the more detail we have, the better we can prepare.

If you can’t use our website due to a disability, call us. We’ll offer you web-based fares over the phone with no service fee as an accommodation.

Reservation contacts:

●        Washington D.C.: 1-800-445-2733
 For hearing impaired: 1-800-828-1120 (Telephone Relay Service)

●        Addis Ababa: +251 11 617 9900

●        Online: EthiopianAirlines.com

To request special assistance online:

●        During booking: select your needs in the ‘passenger information’ section.

●        After booking: update your reservation or send your request through the site.

We recommend booking as early as possible.

Notice and check-in times for specific needs:

●        In-flight medical oxygen (provided by us):
 Notify us 72 hours in advance and check in 1 hour early.

●        Personal respiratory equipment (e.g., CPAP, POC):
 Notify us 48 hours in advance and check in 1 hour early.

●        Stretcher, service animal, or incubator travel:
 Notify us at least 48 hours in advance and check in 1 hour early.

Also notify us 48 hours in advance if you:

●        Need to hook assistive devices to aircraft power (not guaranteed)

●        Travel with hazardous materials (e.g., certain batteries)

●        Have severe vision and hearing impairments

●        Need onboard wheelchair use

●        Need packaging for batteries or other devices

Boarding assistance:
 If a wheelchair lift or ramp is needed, arrive 1 hour early for boarding.

We also recommend contacting us if you:

●        Need wheelchair support

●        Need help transferring into your seat

●        Need specific seat arrangements

If you’ll use a battery-powered respiratory device in-flight, notify us at least 48 hours before departure. We’ll confirm flight duration and help calculate how many batteries are needed.

Accessible seating is available on request. Please contact us at least 24 hours before departure.

Types of accessible seating:

●        Bulkhead seats: Usually in the first row, with more legroom.

●        Movable aisle armrest seats: Easier for transfers.

●        Designated disability seats: Reserved for customers who:

○        Use an aisle chair and can’t transfer over a fixed armrest

○        Have service animals

○        Have a fused or immobilized leg

○        Travel with a safety assistant or care attendant

Note: Aircraft changes may affect seat assignments. We’ll do our best to accommodate you.

Our staff can help with boarding, deplaning, and flight connections.

Connecting flights:
 If you’re non-ambulatory and have a long layover, we recommend traveling with a companion.

Pre-boarding:
 Let the gate agent know you need assistance.

Boarding support includes:

●        Equipment for those unable to use stairs

Aisle chairs for narrow cabin access

Safety briefings:

●        Individual briefings are available.

●        Captioned video briefings and Braille safety cards are available on request.

Carry-on support:

●        Crew can help stow and retrieve carry-on or assistive devices.

On-board wheelchair use:

●        Aircraft flying to/from the USA have onboard wheelchairs for lavatory access.

●        Flight attendants help with the chair, but not with lavatory functions.

Other assistance:

●        Crew can identify food, slice meals, and open packages.

●        Crew cannot assist with eating, hygiene, lifting passengers, or giving medical aid.
 If you need this support, please travel with a personal care attendant.

Airport wheelchairs:
 Our staff can assist with boarding, deplaning, and transfers.
 Priority goes to those who requested a wheelchair in advance. Delays may occur during peak times.

Checking your wheelchair:

●        All assistive devices are accepted, including electric wheelchairs.

●        You can check your personal wheelchair at the gate.

●        It will be returned as close to the aircraft door as possible, fully assembled (where allowed by law).

If your layover is short, you may not receive your wheelchair between flights. Consider using our wheelchair service or booking a longer connection.

Tips for checking electric wheelchairs:

●        Attach clear handling instructions (e.g., switching to manual mode, removing parts).

Identify battery type and attach removal instructions.

Label your wheelchair battery clearly as spillable or non-spillable.

Spillable (wet-cell):

●        We’ll disconnect and protect the terminals

●        Battery may be removed and packaged

Non-spillable (dry-cell, gel-cell):

●        We'll tape battery posts

●        Battery may be removed if upright storage isn’t possible

We do not transport damaged or leaking batteries.

A dedicated cabin closet is available to store one folding manual wheelchair (max: 13” x 36” x 42”), without removing wheels.

Passengers who pre-board may store their wheelchair here, ahead of other cabin items. This is in line with safety and security rules.

Can I travel with a service animal?
 Yes. We accept service animals (dogs only for emotional support). You’ll need:

●        A doctor’s note for emotional support animals

●        Verbal assurance or ID that the animal is trained for disability support
 Service animals may sit anywhere except emergency exit rows. Contact us early for seat requests.

Do I need a medical certificate?
 Not usually. You’ll need one if:

●        Traveling with a stretcher, incubator, or oxygen

●        You have a communicable disease

●        You need extraordinary in-flight medical help

Certificates must be dated within 10 days of your initial flight. For communicable diseases, the certificate must confirm the condition isn't transmissible and list required precautions.

Can I request a special meal?
 Yes. Request it at least 24 hours before departure.

Can I bring medication?
 Yes. Carry it in your hand luggage.
 There’s no onboard refrigeration, so plan accordingly.
 If using needles, carry a prescription for security. Ask a crew member for disposal help.

Can I request oxygen on board?
 Yes, with 48 hours’ notice. A fee applies.
 Bring a certificate confirming your oxygen need and required flow rate.
 Personal oxygen units are not allowed in flight (FAA regulation).
 We provide oxygen for the flight only—you’ll need to arrange ground oxygen yourself.

Can I bring personal medical equipment?
 Yes, including respirators and ventilators, if they:

●        Fit under your seat or a paid extra seat

●        Meet safety and power use rules
 Dry and gel cell batteries are accepted. Wet cells are not.

Do I need a personal care attendant?
 Yes, if you're traveling in a stretcher or need extensive help.
 We don’t provide personal attendants.

CROs are available at Addis Ababa Bole and Washington Dulles airports.
 Ask any staff member to contact a CRO for you.

More Information:
 For the full U.S. regulation on disability rights in air travel (14 CFR, Part 382):

●        Call (U.S. only):

○        1-800-778-4838 (voice)

○        1-800-455-9880 (TTY)

●        Call (DC office):

○        202-366-2220 (voice)

○        202-366-0511 (TTY)

●        Mail:
 Air Consumer Protection Division
 C-75, U.S. Department of Transportation
 1200 New Jersey Ave., SE, Washington, DC 20590

●        Website: airconsumer.ost.dot.gov

To view PDF files, download Adobe Acrobat Reader for free.

Click here to get information about baggage restrictions

Payment by bank cards issued in Russia is not available on the website. To finalize your booking and pay for your air tickets, you can send your booking code by e-mail to ethiopianairlines_ru@aviareps.com daily or call us at +7 (495) 937-59-45. You will be sent a link to pay for your reservation with a Russian bank card.

You can also pay by cash or Russian bank card at the airline's office at: 9, Zemlyanoy Val Street, Moscow, BC “Citidel”, 8th floor. Office working hours: Monday through Friday from 10:00 to 19:00.

Branch of AVIAREPS AG is an authorized general agent of Ethiopian Airlines in Russia. TIN/CPP 9909020040/773851001

Please be notified that for flights departing from Washington, Ethiopian Airlines has temporarily limited excess baggage to a maximum of 2 per passenger making the total number of accepted checked baggage 4 per passenger. The additional 2 excess bags will be accepted on standby and may not be shipped on the same flight.

VISA for passengers transiting through ICN
Kindly note that since our flight will have a technical landing in Seoul, passengers with the nationalities Sudan, Syria, Egypt, Yeman are required to hold a transit VISA for South Korea.

Please be informed that if your flight has a stopover at Incheon Airport (ICN), based on the local requirement you are required to disembark, go through transit security screening, and then re-board the aircraft.

Travel Advisory

1. All travelers are required to submit thier SG Arrival Card before arriving in Singapore, except:

  • Those transiting/transferring through Singapore without seeking immigration clearance

  • Residents travelling through the land checkpoints.

Please note that the SG Arrival Card is not a visa. You may refer to the requirements for entering Singapore for more information.

2. All passengers with travel history to countries with risk of yellow fever in the 6 days prior to arrival in Singapore are required to have a valid yellow fever vaccination certificate. The Yellow Fever Vaccination Certificate will only be considered valid if issued 10 days prior to arrival into Singapore.

For the detail information, including the list of countries with risk of yellow fever, click here

Please note that airport check-in time for your flight on ET928 will be from 15:00 to 18:00 local time.

If travel is on a short-term visa, you will need to have a return ticket preferably on Ethiopia Airlines. If the return ticket is on other airlines, an indemnity will have to be submitted.
Long-term visas under process - Passengers need to carry the payment receipt and Declaration. Passengers will also need to have a single-entry visa to enter South Africa. If NOT OK TO BOARD pops up during the check-in system, passengers must contact DHA-South Africa to have the status changed and obtain a "Waiver of Unfavor" letter from DHA- South Africa.

Discounted fare is available if:

Note : It is mandatory to present the document upon ticketing (if payment is made at city/airport ticket offices) and, at time of check-in to the airline on demand. Failure to present the required documents may result in denial of passenger from the flight and refund of ticket after applicable penalty deductions.

Take the train to your plane

Ethiopian, in cooperation with Deutsche Bahn, offers its passengers the opportunity to travel with Deutsche Bahn from almost all DB stations in Germany to Frankfurt Airport.

Read the terms and conditions

Do you want to include train segment to your booking?

FAKE WEBSITE AND BANK ACCOUNT ALERT

Beware of Scammers

It has come to our notice that scammers are setting up fake websites with similar names to ours to deceive passengers. Our official website is www.ethiopianairlines.com and you can download our mobile app for easier and safer transactions.

Ethiopian officers do not call you for payment or ask you to transfer money to any specific bank account . Ethiopian has city offices and airport offices in four cities in Nigeria, namely Kano, Enugu, Abuja and Lagos; you may visit our offices for any further information.

Travel Advisory

  • Passport or national identity cards are required for all passengers traveling between Vienna and Copenhagen, along with residence permit or citizenship in one of the Schengen countries. Driving license or other ID cards are not considered as travel documents.

  • Passengers traveling between Vienna and Copenhagen who require entry visa to Schengen countries must have a valid multiple-entry Schengen visa. Passengers who already used a single-entry Schengen visa to enter Vienna or another Schengen country cannot travel on Ethiopian Airlines flight between Vienna and Copenhagen as their single-entry Schengen visa is already used.

This fare is payable in Ethiopian Birr only if you are an Ethiopian citizen, or you have a residence permit in Ethiopia.

Note:

  • It is mandatory to present all the necessary documents upon ticketing (if payment is made at city or airport ticket offices) and at the time of check-in to the airline on demand. Failure to present the required documents may result in the denial of the passenger's flight.
  • If you do not hold any of these documents, your ticket must be paid with credit/debit card on the Website/ Mobile App OR pay in cash in USD, GBP, or EUR currencies at ticket offices.

Ethiopian Airlines A Star Alliance Member