wheelair

All airlines Latin America & Caribbean

Caribbean Airlines

IATA BW ICAO BWA Trinidad and Tobago · www.caribbean-airlines.com (opens in a new tab)

Powered chairs need the airline’s prior approval · carried free · 48 h notice.

Advance notice
48hours before departure
Powered wheelchair
Conditional
Lithium, battery installed
Not published
Cost to carry
Free

Who to contact

Transcribed from the airline’s own pages, exactly as it labels them.

  • Phone
    Special Services & Disability Assistance — toll free (the dedicated disability desk; printed as 855-225-2247)
    Monday – Sunday, 7:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. (AST)
  • Phone
    USA & Canada — Reservations Sales and Customer Support (press option 2); the Special Services page gives this same number, as "Toll Free +1 800-920-4225", for special-services requests
    Daily 8am – 7pm AST (Special Services page: Monday to Sunday 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. AST)
  • Phone
    Trinidad & Tobago and Suriname — Reservations Sales and Customer Support (press option 2)
    Daily 8am – 7pm AST
  • Phone
    Guyana (international calls) and "Other Caribbean" — Reservations Sales and Customer Support
    Daily 8am – 7pm AST
  • Phone
    Jamaica (international calls) and "All other locations" — Reservations Sales and Customer Support
    Daily 8am – 7pm AST
  • Phone
    United Kingdom — Reservations Sales and Customer Support
    Daily 8am – 7pm AST
  • Email
    Special Services and Disability Assistance — the address the Wheelchair Service page tells you to write to for wheelchair services
  • Email
    Canada Accessibility Plan feedback (Executive Manager, Customer Experience; feedback may be anonymous)
  • Email
    Website accessibility barrier reports / alternative formats (Accessibility Statement)
  • Online form
  • Online form
  • Online form
  • Relay / text
    "Customers who are deaf or hard of hearing and who wish to contact Caribbean Airlines through our reservations system may do so via the Caribbean Airlines corporate website and mobile app. From there, customers who need additional assistance may use our web chat feature or alternatively, send us an email to request assistance." The chat "is available 24/7". No TTY, text-relay or WhatsApp number of its own is published.
    Web chat on the Caribbean Airlines website and mobile app — 24/7; named as the channel for customers who are deaf or hard of hearing and for wheelchair-assistance requests
  • Relay / text
    Caribbean Airlines' Special Services and Disability Assistance page reprints the USDOT contacts for obtaining 14 CFR Part 382 in an accessible format: 1-800-778-4838 (voice) or 1-800-455-9880 (TTY) from within the United States, and the Aviation Consumer Protection Division on 202-366-2220 (voice) / 202-366-0511 (TTY).
    US DOT Toll-Free Hotline for Air Travelers with Disabilities, TTY 1-800-455-9880 — a US government line reprinted on Caribbean Airlines' page, NOT a Caribbean Airlines number

Two different toll-free numbers are published for the same disability desk: the Special Services and Disability Assistance Directory says 855-225-2247, Monday–Sunday 7:00 a.m.–8:00 p.m. (AST), while the Special Services and Disability Assistance information page says "Call Toll Free +1 800-920-4225, Monday to Sunday 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (AST)" — the latter is also the USA & Canada reservations number. Ring the 855 number first and fall back to the 800. No TTY or text-relay number of Caribbean Airlines' own is published; the TTY numbers on the site belong to the US DOT. The Customer Service Plan states "We have designated Complaint Resolution Officials in all airports" but publishes no direct CRO phone number or e-mail. Written complaints go to Caribbean Airlines, Customer Experience Department, National Mail Centre P.O. Box 2094, Piarco, Trinidad, W.I., fax +1 868-669-0336.

Powered wheelchairs & batteries

The part that goes wrong. Battery chemistry and watt-hours decide whether your chair flies, and the rules differ depending on whether the battery can be removed.

Powered chairs accepted
Conditional

Accepted, but prior airline approval is required. "Battery-powered wheelchairs, with dry cell, wet cell, gel cell, or non-spillable batteries are acceptable, but certain safety procedures are to be followed in preparing the wheelchair for carriage." The Restricted Items page marks both the non-spillable and the lithium mobility-aid rows "Caribbean Airlines approval is required", and the Canadian tariff tells passengers with battery-powered mobility aids to "contact CAL prior to travel to determine if there are any applicable special requirements or restrictions for its carriage".

Wheelchair Service (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC, battery types, cargo-door size and weight table, US fare-difference refund) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Restricted Items — dangerous goods, including the two "Mobility aids" battery rows (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Canadian General Rules Tariff — Article 7 (services and acceptance of mobility aids) and Article 18.3 (damaged, destroyed or lost mobility aids) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Lithium-ion batteries
Conditional

Accepted but approval-gated. "Lithium Ion Battery (WCLB) Wheelchair to be transported by the passenger, which may require advance notification/preparation, assembly or disassembly. Weight and dimensions must be specified." On the Restricted Items page the mobility-aid lithium row ends "Caribbean Airlines approval is required." The batteries "must meet the requirements of IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations" and "may be removed and carried in the passenger cabin". Wheelchair and battery must be claimed and rechecked at each interline transfer point.

Wheelchair Service (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC, battery types, cargo-door size and weight table, US fare-difference refund) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Restricted Items — dangerous goods, including the two "Mobility aids" battery rows (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Watt-hour cap — battery stays in the chair
Not published

Not published. Caribbean Airlines requires a wheelchair lithium battery to "meet the requirements of IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations" but states no watt-hour ceiling for a battery that stays installed in the chair. The 100 Wh / 160 Wh figures elsewhere on the Restricted Items page are the consumer-electronics and portable-medical-device rules and must not be read as a wheelchair limit.

Watt-hour cap — battery removed into the cabin
Not published

Not published. The airline says only that wheelchair lithium batteries "may be removed and carried in the passenger cabin"; it publishes no watt-hour cap for the removed battery.

Watt-hour cap — spare battery
300 Wh

"Mobility aids: Battery-powered or other similar mobility devices with lithium batteries: For collapsible mobility aids, customers will be allowed two (2) spare batteries if each is less than 160Wh, or one (1) spare battery if less than 300Wh." So 300 Wh is the ceiling for a single spare, and 160 Wh each where two are carried. Caribbean Airlines approval is required.

Restricted Items — dangerous goods, including the two "Mobility aids" battery rows (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Spare batteries permittedmaximum number under any published configuration
2

Maximum two. For a collapsible mobility aid with lithium batteries, "customers will be allowed two (2) spare batteries if each is less than 160Wh, or one (1) spare battery if less than 300Wh" — so it is two spares only at the lower rating. For a mobility aid with non-spillable wet batteries, "One spare battery is allowed, which must be carried in strong, rigid packaging that must be checked in." Caribbean Airlines approval is required in both cases.

Restricted Items — dangerous goods, including the two "Mobility aids" battery rows (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Battery must be removed
No

No, not as a rule: the battery may be "Securely attached to the wheelchair or mobility aid" or "Removed by the user, if the mobility aid is specifically designed to allow it to be removed", and lithium batteries "may be removed and carried in the passenger cabin". Removal becomes mandatory in one case only — a spillable battery on an aid that "cannot always be loaded, stowed, secured and unloaded in an upright position"; that removed battery travels in strong, rigid packaging in the baggage hold, not the cabin.

Wheelchair Service (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC, battery types, cargo-door size and weight table, US fare-difference refund) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Restricted Items — dangerous goods, including the two "Mobility aids" battery rows (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Non-spillable batteriesgel, AGM, sealed lead-acid, dry cell
Conditional

Accepted but "Caribbean Airlines approval is required. Permitted in checked baggage only." Requirements: "The batteries must meet the requirements of IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations; the batteries must be disconnected; the battery terminals must be insulated to prevent accidental short circuits; the batteries must be securely attached to the wheelchair or mobility aid", and the aid must be prepared "so as to prevent unintentional activation". Covers non-spillable wet, nickel-metal hydride, gel cell and dry (WCBD) batteries.

Wheelchair Service (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC, battery types, cargo-door size and weight table, US fare-difference refund) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Restricted Items — dangerous goods, including the two "Mobility aids" battery rows (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Wet / spillable batteries
Yes

Accepted with handling conditions (code WCBW). A spillable-battery aid "must be loaded, stowed, secured and unloaded always in an upright position, with the battery disconnected, the battery terminals insulated to prevent accidental short circuits, and the battery securely attached". "If the wheelchair or mobility aid cannot always be loaded, stowed, secured and unloaded in an upright position, the battery must be removed... The removed battery must be carried in strong, rigid packaging in the baggage hold."

Wheelchair Service (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC, battery types, cargo-door size and weight table, US fare-difference refund) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Terminal protection & immobilisation
Battery disconnected, terminals insulated against short circuits, battery securely attached to the chair, and the aid prepared so it cannot be unintentionally activated

"the batteries must be disconnected; the battery terminals must be insulated to prevent accidental short circuits; the batteries must be securely attached to the wheelchair or mobility aid" and "The wheelchair or mobility aid must be prepared for transport so as to prevent unintentional activation." The Restricted Items page repeats "Battery terminals must be protected from short circuits" for both the non-spillable and the lithium mobility-aid rows, and adds "Spill-resistant valves should be used if applicable."

Wheelchair Service (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC, battery types, cargo-door size and weight table, US fare-difference refund) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Restricted Items — dangerous goods, including the two "Mobility aids" battery rows (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Paperwork the airline wants
Not published

No battery paperwork is demanded: Caribbean Airlines requires the batteries to "meet the requirements of IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations" but asks for no spec sheet, MSDS, UN 38.3 test summary or manufacturer's label. What it does require is that the chair's "Weight and dimensions must be specified", and — on flights to or from Canada — written disassembly and reassembly instructions plus any specialised tools.

Size limit for a powered chairCargo-hold door opening — not a stated chair limit
121 cm wide · 88 cm high

Cargo-door aperture, not a stated maximum chair size: ATR 72-600 door 153cm / 60 in high by 129cm / 50 in wide; Boeing 737-8 and 737-800 door 88cm / 35 in high by 121cm / 48 in wide. The 737 figures bind. Because "Battery-powered wheelchairs are always loaded and stowed upright", a powered chair has to clear that 88 cm door height standing up. Headrests, footrests and removable armrests may be taken off before measuring.

Wheelchair Service (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC, battery types, cargo-door size and weight table, US fare-difference refund) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Weight limit for a powered chair
217 kg

Same acceptance table as for manual chairs: "Maximum Weight" ATR 72-600 217kg / 480lb, Boeing 737-8 226kg / 500lb, Boeing 737-800 226kg / 500lb. 217 kg is the binding figure across the fleet. "Battery-powered wheelchairs are always loaded and stowed upright."

Wheelchair Service (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC, battery types, cargo-door size and weight table, US fare-difference refund) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Returned at the aircraft door
Not published

Not published. Caribbean Airlines does not say whether a powered chair is returned at the aircraft door; on flights to or from Canada the tariff commits only to "return the aid promptly upon arrival", and to disassemble, package, unpackage and reassemble the aid where necessary.

"Battery-powered wheelchairs are always loaded and stowed upright." Wheelchair and battery "must be claimed and rechecked at each interline transfer point" for the WCBD, WCBW and WCLB categories. Damaged or safety-recalled lithium batteries are forbidden outright, as are hoverboards, mini-Segways and balance wheels — but those are separate categories from mobility aids. If your chair does not fit your preferred flight and you have to book a more expensive one, Caribbean Airlines will refund the fare difference after travel on flights to or from the United States, provided both flights are CAL-operated, depart the same day, share origin, destination and cabin, and were bought direct.

Manual wheelchairs

Manual chairs accepted
Yes

Manual chairs are one of the four device categories Caribbean Airlines carries: "Manual Power (WCMP) Wheelchair to be transported by the passenger. Weight and dimensions must be specified." Crutches, canes and walkers may be taken into the cabin if they fit the designated storage areas, "if not, they will be tagged and placed in the baggage hold free of charge". The chair must fit through the cargo door and stay within the maximum weight for the aircraft type.

Wheelchair Service (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC, battery types, cargo-door size and weight table, US fare-difference refund) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Medical Portable Electronic Devices and Assistive Devices (crutches, canes, walkers in the cabin; POC 48-hour rule) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Folding chair may travel in the cabin
Yes

Boeing 737-8 only: "On our Boeing 737-8 aircraft, we have a dedicated space in the cabin to store at least one (1) typical adult-sized folding, collapsible, or break-down manual wheelchair. If it doesn't fit in this space, it will be carried in the baggage hold." The Canada Accessibility Plan calls it "Priority stowage space for up to one (manual) wheelchair in the cabin (737-8 aircraft)", and the Canadian tariff promises "every reasonable effort" to let a walker or manual folding wheelchair be stowed on board. No cabin stowage is published for the ATR 72-600 or the 737-800.

Wheelchair Service (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC, battery types, cargo-door size and weight table, US fare-difference refund) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Canada Accessibility Plan: 2023 – 2026 (on-board wheelchairs, 737-8 cabin stowage, movable armrests, free carriage of mobility aids, 30-minute rule) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Canadian General Rules Tariff — Article 7 (services and acceptance of mobility aids) and Article 18.3 (damaged, destroyed or lost mobility aids) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

In-cabin stowage limit
Not published

No dimensions are published for the 737-8 in-cabin wheelchair space — Caribbean Airlines describes it only as room for "at least one (1) typical adult-sized folding, collapsible, or break-down manual wheelchair". The ordinary carry-on limit (56cm x 35cm x 23cm, 10 kg) does not apply: mobility aids are "allowed ... in addition to carry-on baggage, subject to space availability".

Wheelchair Service (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC, battery types, cargo-door size and weight table, US fare-difference refund) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Carry On Allowance — "Passengers with Special Needs" (mobility aids allowed in addition to carry-on baggage) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Size limit for a checked manual chairCargo-hold door opening — not a stated chair limit
121 cm wide · 88 cm high

These are CARGO-DOOR apertures, not a stated maximum chair size. Published table: ATR 72-600 door height 153cm / 60 inches, width 129cm / 50 inches; Boeing 737-8 and Boeing 737-800 door height 88cm / 35 inches, width 121cm / 48 inches. The 737 figures are the smaller and therefore binding. "Removable parts such as headrests, footrests, removable armrests, etc. may be removed prior to measuring." No length or depth figure is published.

Wheelchair Service (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC, battery types, cargo-door size and weight table, US fare-difference refund) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Weight limit for a manual chair
217 kg

From the Wheelchair Service acceptance table: "Maximum Weight" ATR 72-600 217kg / 480lb; Boeing 737-8 226kg / 500lb; Boeing 737-800 226kg / 500lb. 217 kg is the binding figure because it applies to the ATR 72-600 fleet. "Your wheelchair must fit through the cargo door of the aircraft and not exceed the maximum weight limitation."

Wheelchair Service (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC, battery types, cargo-door size and weight table, US fare-difference refund) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Returned at the aircraft door
Not published

Not published. Caribbean Airlines never says whether a checked wheelchair is returned at the aircraft door or the jet bridge; the only published commitment is in the Canadian tariff, where on flights to or from Canada CAL will "return the aid promptly upon arrival". Ask when you book.

The Canadian tariff (flights to or from Canada) requires the passenger to provide written disassembly and reassembly instructions and any specialised tools, and to check in 180 minutes before departure or reach the gate 90 minutes early — but CAL will "make every reasonable effort" to carry the aid even if those are not met. It will refuse a mobility aid only where its weight or size exceeds the capacity of lifts or ramps, the baggage-compartment doors are too small, or carriage would jeopardise airworthiness or violate safety regulations; a refusal must be explained in writing within 10 days and an alternative flight offered at the lower of the two fares.

Booking & cost

Advance notice requiredhours before scheduled departure
48h

"To best meet your needs, let us know what services you may require as far in advance of your travel as possible as we may require up to 48 hours' advance notice for some special accommodations." A portable oxygen concentrator needs medical clearance and "at least 48 hours' notice". On flights to or from Canada the tariff sets 48 hours before departure for the listed disability services, and a mobility aid that must be disassembled requires check-in 180 minutes before departure or arrival at the gate 90 minutes early.

Wheelchair Service (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC, battery types, cargo-door size and weight table, US fare-difference refund) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Medical Portable Electronic Devices and Assistive Devices (crutches, canes, walkers in the cabin; POC 48-hour rule) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Canadian General Rules Tariff — Article 7 (services and acceptance of mobility aids) and Article 18.3 (damaged, destroyed or lost mobility aids) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

How to request assistance
Add it while booking online (Book → Choose services → "Request Special Needs" → Special Assistance), or e-mail specialservices@caribbean-airlines.com, or call the Special Services toll-free line, or submit the online Special Services and Disability Assistance form

Caribbean Airlines lists four channels: the online booking flow ("Under 'Book – Choose services' -> Select 'Request Special Needs' -> Select the 'Special Assistance' option -> Confirm Selection/s"), the phone line, e-mail to specialservices@caribbean-airlines.com, and the Special Services and Disability Assistance form. The Wheelchair Service page repeats: "To request wheelchair services, send an email with your request to specialservices@caribbean-airlines.com or call Reservations Sales and Customer Support." Weight and dimensions of the chair must be specified.

Special Services and Disability Assistance — how to request, and the Air Carrier Access Act / 14 CFR Part 382 notice (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Wheelchair Service (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC, battery types, cargo-door size and weight table, US fare-difference refund) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Special Services and Disability Assistance Directory (toll-free number, hours, e-mail, contact form) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Charge for carrying the aid
No fee

"Caribbean Airlines provides this service free of charge. We will also check in your personal wheelchair or other mobility aid free of charge." An airport attendant to help you move through the airport is also "at no additional charge". The Canada Accessibility Plan adds that mobility aids travel as carry-on free of charge, and a manual wheelchair that cannot fit in the cabin "may be accepted as an additional piece of checked baggage, free of charge". On flights to or from Canada the tariff carries a mobility aid "free of charge and as priority baggage".

Wheelchair Service (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC, battery types, cargo-door size and weight table, US fare-difference refund) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Canada Accessibility Plan: 2023 – 2026 (on-board wheelchairs, 737-8 cabin stowage, movable armrests, free carriage of mobility aids, 30-minute rule) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Canadian General Rules Tariff — Article 7 (services and acceptance of mobility aids) and Article 18.3 (damaged, destroyed or lost mobility aids) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Mobility devices carried free
Not published

No number is published. Caribbean Airlines says mobility aids are carried free and "in addition to carry-on baggage, subject to space availability", and that a manual wheelchair that will not fit in the cabin may be taken as "an additional piece of checked baggage, free of charge" — but it never states how many mobility devices one passenger may bring free.

If they damage your chair
Full replacement cost, repair, a loaner chair and a free special declaration of interest — but only on flights to or from Canada; on every other route the General Conditions of Carriage apply the old Warsaw gold-franc limit of about US$20.00 per kilogram of checked baggage

Canada tariff 18.3.4: CAL will "without delay and at its own expense" provide a temporary replacement aid, reimburse expenses, repair the aid or, if it cannot be adequately repaired, replace it or "reimburse the person for the full replacement cost"; same for a lost aid not returned within 96 hours. A free special declaration of interest may be made before stowage. Elsewhere Article 16.2.4 caps checked-baggage damage at "250 French Gold Francs or its equivalent (approximately US $20.00) per kilogram". No 14 CFR 382.131 full-value statement was found on the site.

Canadian General Rules Tariff — Article 7 (services and acceptance of mobility aids) and Article 18.3 (damaged, destroyed or lost mobility aids) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  General Conditions of Carriage — Article 8.4/8.5 (limitation on carriage, passengers with disabilities) and Article 16 (liability for damage) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

On board

On-board aisle chair
Conditional

Larger aircraft only: "All Caribbean Airlines' aircraft with more than 100 passenger seats are equipped with an onboard (aisle) wheelchair. These onboard wheelchairs are specifically designed to transport customers to and from their passenger seat in the cabin and the aircraft lavatories." The ATR 72-600 "seats 68 Economy Class Passengers", so it falls below that threshold and no aisle chair is published for it.

Canada Accessibility Plan: 2023 – 2026 (on-board wheelchairs, 737-8 cabin stowage, movable armrests, free carriage of mobility aids, 30-minute rule) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Our Fleet — ATR 72-600 (68 Economy seats, one lavatory at the rear) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Accessible lavatory
Not published

Not published. No Caribbean Airlines lavatory is described as wheelchair-accessible. On flights to or from Canada the tariff undertakes to "Permit a person to use the washroom that has the most amount of space, regardless of where the washroom is located" if they need an on-board wheelchair; crew will assist "in moving to and from an aircraft lavatory" but "Our cabin crew cannot provide assistance inside the lavatory." The ATR 72-600 has one lavatory, at the back.

Crew help you transfer
Yes

Published in the Canada Accessibility Plan service list: "Transferring a person between the person's own mobility aid and a mobility aid provided by Caribbean Airlines", plus help boarding, deplaning and moving to and from a lavatory. The Canadian tariff adds transfers between a mobility aid and the passenger seat, and between the seat and an on-board wheelchair. Limits: crew cannot assist inside the lavatory, and a "Wheelchair user, assistance needed to cabin" who cannot assist with their own evacuation "will be required to travel with a safety assistant".

Canada Accessibility Plan: 2023 – 2026 (on-board wheelchairs, 737-8 cabin stowage, movable armrests, free carriage of mobility aids, 30-minute rule) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Canadian General Rules Tariff — Article 7 (services and acceptance of mobility aids) and Article 18.3 (damaged, destroyed or lost mobility aids) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29  Terms & Conditions of Purchase — "Passengers with Special Needs" (safety-assistant condition for a wheelchair user needing assistance to the cabin) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Seating & movable armrests
Movable aisle armrests on all aisle seats except row 5 (bulkhead) on the 737-8; a movable-armrest, bulkhead, extra-legroom or adjacent companion seat is assigned on request if available in the same cabin

"Moveable aisle armrests on all aisle seats except row 5 (bulkhead on 737-8 aircraft)." Caribbean Airlines will provide, if the seat is available in the same cabin: a movable aisle armrest seat when the customer boards by aisle chair and cannot transfer over a fixed armrest; a bulkhead or other seat for a service dog (never an emergency-exit row); Caribbean Plus extra legroom for a fused or immobilised leg; and an adjacent seat for a personal care attendant, reader, interpreter or safety assistant. Exit rows are barred to passengers who lack full dexterity in both arms, hands and legs.

Canada Accessibility Plan: 2023 – 2026 (on-board wheelchairs, 737-8 cabin stowage, movable armrests, free carriage of mobility aids, 30-minute rule) (opens in a new tab) · read 2026-07-29

Fleet detail. Caribbean Airlines publishes a per-aircraft acceptance table headed "Will my wheelchair fit in the cargo hold?": ATR 72-600 — maximum cargo door height 153cm / 60 inches, width 129cm / 50 inches, maximum weight 217kg / 480lb; Boeing 737-8 — 88cm / 35 inches high, 121cm / 48 inches wide, 226kg / 500lb; Boeing 737-800 — 88cm / 35 inches high, 121cm / 48 inches wide, 226kg / 500lb. The 737 door is by far the tighter opening (88 cm high) and a powered chair must clear it upright, while the ATR carries the lower weight ceiling (217 kg). Removable parts may be taken off before measuring. Only the 737-8 has an in-cabin stowage space for one folding manual chair, and only aircraft with more than 100 seats carry an on-board aisle wheelchair — the 68-seat ATR 72-600 used on intra-Caribbean and South American routes has neither.

Worth knowing

caribbean-airlines.com is an AngularJS hash-routed single-page app: the reader proxy only ever returns the home page for a /#/... URL, so every page below was read from the site's own content API on the same domain (https://www.caribbean-airlines.com/api/Page/GetPageDetailFromName?pagename=<slug>), which returns exactly the HTML the /#/ page renders. The sources cite the human-readable /#/ URLs. Content is unusually complete for a Caribbean carrier — a per-aircraft cargo-door and weight table, four IATA wheelchair codes (WCMP, WCBD, WCBW, WCLB), full battery preparation rules and an explicit mobility-aid spare-battery allowance. Three things a power-chair user must plan around: (1) the Boeing 737 cargo door is only 88 cm / 35 in high and 121 cm / 48 in wide and a powered chair is "always loaded and stowed upright", so height is the binding constraint on the jets, while the ATR 72-600 has a much larger door but a lower 217 kg limit; (2) approval is required in advance for both non-spillable and lithium battery mobility aids, and the chair's weight and dimensions must be given at booking; (3) protection differs sharply by route — flights to or from Canada get the ATPDR package (free priority carriage, loaner chair, repair or full replacement cost, free special declaration of interest, refusal only on stated grounds with written reasons within 10 days), while everywhere else the General Conditions of Carriage fall back to the Warsaw gold-franc limit of roughly US$20 per kg and the Damaged Baggage page disclaims "loss of protruding parts such as wheels ... nicks, scratches, scuff marks, dents, cuts". Caribbean Airlines flies to JFK, MIA, FLL, MCO and Toronto and does publish an ACAA page citing 14 CFR Part 382 and states "We have designated Complaint Resolution Officials in all airports" in its Customer Service Plan — but no CRO contact details and no 14 CFR 382.131 full-value liability statement for US flights could be found. On-board aisle wheelchairs exist only on aircraft with more than 100 seats, which excludes the 68-seat ATR 72-600 fleet. A passenger who books "Wheelchair user, assistance needed to cabin" and cannot assist with their own evacuation must travel with a safety assistant. Caribbean Airlines' own 2026 Canada Accessibility Plan progress report records customer feedback about "Wheelchair assistance delays and limited availability" and "Inconsistent service across stations". Codeshare/interline note: transportation on an interline partner is governed by that airline's conditions, and CAL states it "shall not be liable ... on a flight that is not operated by CAL"; the Air Caraïbes codeshare has its own baggage rules.

Sources

Every figure above traces to one of these.

  1. s1 Wheelchair Service (WCHR/WCHS/WCHC, battery types, cargo-door size and weight table, US fare-difference refund) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  2. s2 Special Services and Disability Assistance — how to request, and the Air Carrier Access Act / 14 CFR Part 382 notice (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  3. s3 Restricted Items — dangerous goods, including the two "Mobility aids" battery rows (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  4. s4 Medical Portable Electronic Devices and Assistive Devices (crutches, canes, walkers in the cabin; POC 48-hour rule) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  5. s5 Customer Service Plan — "Customers with Disabilities and Special Needs" (14 C.F.R. 382; Complaint Resolution Officials in all airports) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  6. s6 Special Services and Disability Assistance Directory (toll-free number, hours, e-mail, contact form) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  7. s7 Canada Accessibility Plan: 2023 – 2026 (on-board wheelchairs, 737-8 cabin stowage, movable armrests, free carriage of mobility aids, 30-minute rule) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  8. s8 Canadian General Rules Tariff — Article 7 (services and acceptance of mobility aids) and Article 18.3 (damaged, destroyed or lost mobility aids) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  9. s9 General Conditions of Carriage — Article 8.4/8.5 (limitation on carriage, passengers with disabilities) and Article 16 (liability for damage) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  10. s10 Carry On Allowance — "Passengers with Special Needs" (mobility aids allowed in addition to carry-on baggage) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  11. s11 Reservations Sales, Website and Digital Support Directory (per-country telephone numbers) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  12. s12 Our Fleet — ATR 72-600 (68 Economy seats, one lavatory at the rear) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  13. s13 Damaged Baggage & Missing Contents (excluded damage categories, 7-day written claim) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  14. s14 Terms & Conditions of Purchase — "Passengers with Special Needs" (safety-assistant condition for a wheelchair user needing assistance to the cabin) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29
  15. s15 Accessibility Statement (website RGAA audit; barrier-reporting e-mail address) (opens in a new tab) · official · read 2026-07-29

Record quality

Record status researched · confidence high · 15 official sources · 14 contacts · 77% of the fields this reference tracks are answered. Newest source read 29 July 2026, the day before this page was built. What these mean.