How to contact disability assistance

If you need a wheelchair to help you through the airport, please request at the time of making your booking, and we’ll do everything we can to help you out.

Passengers requesting wheelchair assistance at the airport without prior notice, will offered such assistance at a charge of LKR 2000, except for air travel involving a continuous journey in the same aircraft or with a single flight number that begins or ends at a U.S. airport.

Two pieces of mobility equipment can be carried free of charge and will not count against the standard baggage allowance.

However, passengers involved in a continuous journey in the same aircraft or with a single flight number that begins or ends at a U.S. airport, may carry on the aircraft or check as baggage any necessary assistive devices or mobility equipment free of charge, as long as such devices or equipment can be transported in a manner consistent with applicable government-imposed security, safety and hazardous materials requirements.

If you have a battery-powered wheelchair, you will need to take certain safeguards before you travel. Please ask for details at the time you make your booking.

If you are not self-reliant (capable of taking care of all your physical needs independently in-flight) e.g. cannot self-lift into a wheelchair during the flight, we request you to travel with a companion who can assist you. While we would be happy to help where possible, we cannot assume obligation for providing on-board assistance, which might contravene health, safety or hygiene regulations.

For air transportation services involving a continuous journey in the same aircraft or with a single flight number that begins or ends at a U.S. airport, passengers are required to travel with an assistant or companion if they:

(1) Must travel in a stretcher or incubator;
(2) have a mental disability and are unable to comprehend or respond appropriately to safety instructions, safety briefings, or applicable government-imposed safety regulations;
(3) have a mobility impairment that prevents them from physically assisting in their own evacuation of an aircraft in an emergency situation; or
(4) Have both severe hearing and severe vision impairments that prevents them from communicating with carrier personnel to allow transmission of safety briefings or applicable government-imposed safety regulations or assisting in their own evacuation of an aircraft in an emergency situation.

We always try to accommodate our passengers who require special assistance on board. Aisle wheelchairs are available on our wide body aircraft. Safety regulations stipulate that passengers with reduced mobility should not be seated at emergency exits or in cross aisles that form part of emergency exit routes with pre-assigned seats allocated for easy identification by crew for assistance in case of an emergency. Toilets on board are equipped with assist facilities.

If you require meet-and-assist service or if you need to be guided to or from the aircraft, please notify the booking agent at the time of making your reservation.

A dog trained to lead the visually impaired or the hearing impaired passengers may be accepted for transportation in the company of the passenger who is dependent on such a dog, without charge. SriLankan Airlines accepts "seeing eye" or "hearing" dogs subject to the following rules and regulations:

• Any disabled passenger who is actually dependent on such a dog, traveling on a continuous journey in the same aircraft or with a single flight number that begins or ends at a U.S. airport is entitled to travel with a Guide/Assistant dog
• Meet and Assist on Arrival
• For other conditions of accepting such dogs, please visit baggage policy or contact your local SriLankan Airlines office

For flights to and from the U.S operated by codeshare partners, passengers travelling with service animals will be governed by our codeshare partners’ contract of carriage provisions regarding service animals.

For your own safety and the wellbeing of your child, SriLankan Airlines recommends that you visit your doctor and enquire about your fitness to fly the length of the trip you intend to take prior to booking your ticket.

Expectant mothers without any complications travelling after their 28th week of pregnancy are required to provide a Medical Certificate from a qualified Medical Practitioner issued within 7 days of travel, confirming that the pregnancy is free of complication/ s, mother is fit to travel and the estimated date of delivery.

Expectant mothers with multiple and/or complicated pregnancy shall carry a Medical Certificate at all times from a qualified Medical Practitioner issued within 7 days of travel, confirming that the mother is fit to travel and the estimated date of delivery.

The Medical Certificate shall carry the date of consultation and contact details.

We also recommend that the expectant mothers carry their pregnancy records at all times.

In the event your travel involves another carrier, please ensure that the acceptance requirements of the airline concerned is complied with.

Some countries place limitations on the entry of non-national pregnant mothers. It is advisable to check with the local Consulate to confirm the country specific requirements.

If you choose not to carry a Medical Certificate as required or your Medical Certificate is outdated and/or does not contain the correct information required, SriLankan Airlines reserves the right to deny you boarding.  

Air travel is not recommended within the first 7 days after delivery.

For further information on flying during your pregnancy, please contact res_services@srilankan.com

Except for air transportation services involving a continuous journey in the same aircraft or with a single flight number that begins or ends at a U.S. airport, the following persons must receive medical clearance from SriLankan Airlines before flying:

• Passengers suffering from a disease believed to be contagious and communicable.
• Passengers manifesting an 'unusual behaviour' because of a disease or physical condition, which could have an adverse effect on the welfare and comfort of other passengers and/or crew or could be considered a potential hazard to the safety of the flight or its punctuality.
• Passengers requiring medical attention and/or special equipment to maintain their health during the flight.
• Passengers whose medical conditions might become life threatening or where there is a concern that the passenger cannot complete the flight safely without extraordinary medical attention.
• Passengers who cannot use the normal aircraft seat when placed in the upright position.
• Except for air transportation services involving a continuous journey in the same aircraft or with a single flight number that begins or ends at a U.S. airport, expectant mothers need to carry a medical certificate issued within 3 days of departure confirming the date of delivery and fitness to fly.
• Except for air transportation services involving a continuous journey in the same aircraft or with a single flight number that begins or ends at a U.S. airport, passengers manifesting an ‘unusual behaviour’ because of a disease or physical condition, which could have an adverse effect on the welfare and comfort of other passengers and/or crew or could be considered a potential hazard to the safety of the flight or its punctuality.

If your condition is described above, medical clearance from SriLankan Airlines is necessary. A 'Medical Information Form' (MEDIF) must be completed by your own doctor and submitted to the nearest SriLankan Airlines office, at least 48 hours before flight departure. Please ask your travel agent or contact any SriLankan Airlines office for a 'Medical Information Form' (MEDIF).

For disabled passengers traveling on a continuous journey in the same aircraft or with a single flight number that begins or ends at a U.S airport, such passengers must only provide a medical certificate or obtain medical clearance for flights to/from the U.S as a condition for being transported in the following four specific situations:

• the passenger is traveling in a stretcher or incubator;
• the passenger needs medical oxygen during a flight;
• the passenger’s medical condition is such that there is reasonable doubt that the passenger can complete the flight safely, without requiring extraordinary medical assistance during the flight; or
• the passenger has a communicable disease or condition that could pose a direct threat to the health or safety of others on the flight.

For flights to and from the U.S., operated by codeshare partners, CRO assistance will be provided by our codeshare partners and directions on how to contact the CRO may be found on the codeshare partner’s website.

• For special assistance in codeshare on Etihad Airlines, further information can be obtained from the Abu Dhabi airport.
• For special assistance in codeshare on Qatar Airways, please refer the following link.
  • https://www.qatarairways.com/en-us/services-special/disability-and-medical.html

For passengers travelling in to and out of United States of America, consumers can obtain a copy of Part 382, the regulations regarding nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in air travel, in an accessible format from the Department of Transportation by any of the following means:

• For calls made from within the United States, by telephone via the Toll-Free Hotline for Air Travelers with Disabilities
  (Voice) 1-800-778-4838
  (TTY) 1-800-455-9880
  
• By telephone to the Aviation Consumer Protection Division
  (Voice) 202-366-2220
  (TTY) 202-366-0511
  
• By mail to the Air Consumer Protection Division
  C-75,
  U.S. Department of Transportation,
  1200 New Jersey Ave., SE., West Building
  Room W96-432
  Washington, DC 20590
• On the Aviation Consumer Protection Division's Web site (http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov).

For flights to and from the U.S, operated by codeshare partners, Complaints Resolution Official assistance will be provided by our codeshare partners and directions on how to contact the Complaints Resolution Official may be found on the codeshare partner’s website