On board

Priority boarding

If you’ve arranged assistance, you have a hidden disabilities sunflower lanyard or you’re using a wheelchair or other mobility aid, you will have priority to board the aircraft. You can also notify us at check-in and ask for preferential boarding. This gives you more time to find your seat and get settled on the flight before other passengers board.

Assistance services

Boarding the aircraft

Most of the time you can board our aircraft from an air bridge directly on to the flight. Our cabin crew will welcome you on board and show you to your seat. If you have notified us of your needs or arranged for airport assistance, the cabin crew will be aware.

At the aircraft door, you’ll transfer from the airport wheelchair to the onboard wheelchair. It’s designed to fit the aisles and help you to move around the aircraft.

If you’re using your own wheelchair up to boarding, we’ll stow your wheelchair in the aircraft hold. On arrival, your wheelchair will be brought to the aircraft door so you can transfer back to your own. If your wheelchair is checked in then we’ll have one waiting for you.

Buses to the flight

Sometimes our aircraft are parked on a remote stand away from the terminal building. When this happens, we’ll take you on a bus from your boarding gate directly to the aircraft. Or when you land, from the aircraft to the terminal building.

There will be an announcement at the boarding gate to let you know if you need to take the bus. The buses have seats, air conditioning and are wheelchair accessible.

Ascending stairs to board

When the aircraft is parked on a remote stand, there will be stairs to board. If you’re using a wheelchair or other mobility aid or you’re unable to climb the stairs unassisted, we will use a lift. When that’s not possible, we have a motorised wheelchair that can ascend and descend stairs. It can also be used to help you transfer in and out of your seat after ascending the stairs.

The Emirates A380 aircraft has an upper and lower deck with stairs at the front of the aircraft. If your cabin class is on the upper deck of the aircraft, we have a motorised wheelchair to enable you to get up and down the stairs. For safety, the wheelchair can only be used when the aircraft is parked on the ground and can’t be used during the flight.

Find out more about travelling with a wheelchair.

Learn more

Leaving the aircraft

In most cases you can leave the aircraft and reach the terminal by an air bridge. From there, follow the signs to baggage collection.

If you have arranged wheelchair assistance, we’ll bring a wheelchair as close to the aircraft door as possible when you arrive. You can transfer from the onboard wheelchair to the airport wheelchair.

When the aircraft is parked away from the terminal building, you will need to descend the stairs and take the bus. There will be a bus directly by the aircraft and our team on the ground can guide you.

We can help you to disembark the aircraft either by a lift or by using a motorised wheelchair that’s able to descend stairs before you board the bus to the terminal.