Airport assistance for elderly passengers is free in most of the world: in the UK, EU and US the law requires airports or airlines to help travellers with reduced mobility through the terminal and on to the aircraft at no charge. You request it through your airline (or travel agent) at least 48 hours before you fly. A private meet & assist service is optional and sits on top of it, adding a dedicated person who stays with your parent from kerb to gate.
Every major airport runs a special assistance service for passengers with reduced mobility (PRM). In Europe and the UK the airport provides it; in the US the airline does. Either way, the passenger pays nothing extra.
It is not only for wheelchair users. The UK Civil Aviation Authority’s guidance also covers hidden disabilities such as dementia. An older parent who tires on long walks, is unsteady on stairs or gets confused in busy places can ask for it.
| Region | Main rule | Who provides the help | Notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| European Union | Regulation (EC) 1107/2006 | The airport managing body, with your airline passing on your request | At least 48 hours |
| United Kingdom | UK version of Regulation 1107/2006, overseen by the CAA | The airport, with your airline or travel agent passing on your request | At least 48 hours |
| United States | Air Carrier Access Act (14 CFR Part 382) | The airline | Usually not required for wheelchair help, but strongly advised. Up to 48 hours for some services |
| UAE (e.g. Dubai) | Airport and airline policy | Dubai Airports’ assistance team, booked via your airline | At least 48 hours |
| Saudi Arabia | GACA Passenger Rights Protection Regulations | The airline must provide the required services for passengers with disabilities | Request when booking |
The EU rules apply when you depart from an EU airport and, for arrivals, when you fly in on an EU airline. The US rules apply to US airlines and to foreign airlines on flights to or from the US. Elsewhere, check your airline’s special assistance page.
Add your own phone number as a contact if the airline allows it. Make sure the assistance is on your parent’s booking and covers any connection.
A private meet & assist (also called meet and greet) is a paid, pre-booked service where a greeter meets your parent by name. The greeter escorts them through the airport. It does not replace special assistance: the wheelchair, ambulift and boarding help are still booked with the airline. The two work well side by side.
| Free airline/airport assistance | Private meet & assist | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | Free | Paid, booked in advance |
| How to book | Through the airline, at least 48 hours ahead | Through a meet & assist provider |
| Wheelchair, ambulift, boarding help | Yes | No. Request these from the airline |
| Named greeter with a name board | No | Yes |
| One person escorting throughout | Not guaranteed | Yes, within the service area |
| Porter for luggage | Reasonable help with bags | Often available as an add-on |
| Hand-over to family or a driver | Not usually | Can be arranged, with a transfer if needed |
It suits parents who are anxious, speak little of the local language or have a tight connection.
Dubai Airports asks you to request assistance through your airline, tour operator or travel agent at least 48 hours before travel. Your airline then passes the details to the airport’s assistance team. DXB terminals are large, so a personal escort can be reassuring. See our meet and assist service or book Dubai Airport meet and greet directly.
Heathrow asks passengers to contact their airline, tour operator or travel agent as soon as possible, or at least 48 hours before travel. Unbooked passengers will still be helped, but those who booked ahead get priority. For a named greeter alongside the airport’s own service, see Heathrow meet and assist.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) Passenger Rights Protection Regulations require airlines to provide the necessary services for passengers with disabilities. At the time of writing (October 2026), they set compensation if an airline fails to do so. Jeddah is especially busy in Umrah and Hajj seasons. Book assistance early with the airline and consider Jeddah Airport meet and greet for a personal escort.
We arrange meet & assist at more than 200 airports through vetted local partners. A greeter meets your parent with a name board, escorts them through departure, arrival or transit formalities where the airport permits, and can arrange porterage, fast track or a lounge. We confirm every booking in writing. Our 24/7 desk (WhatsApp +971 54 515 7619) keeps families updated. We do not book the airline’s wheelchair. Please request that with the airline, and tell us so our greeter can work alongside the assistance team.
If your parent needs a car at the other end, we can add an airport transfer so the greeter hands them over to a driver. Travel agents booking for older clients can use our B2B partner programme.
Yes, in most cases. Under EU Regulation 1107/2006, its UK equivalent and the US Air Carrier Access Act, special assistance for passengers with reduced mobility must be provided free of charge, including airport wheelchairs and boarding help. Most airlines elsewhere also provide it free. Paid services such as private meet & assist are optional extras.
Yes. You do not need a formal disability or a doctor’s letter. Airports and airlines provide special assistance to anyone whose mobility is reduced, including through age, as well as people with hidden conditions such as dementia. When booking, describe what your parent can and cannot do, such as walking distance and stairs, so the airline assigns the right level of help.
Book at least 48 hours before departure, and ideally when you buy the ticket. Heathrow, Dubai Airports and EU rules all use the 48-hour benchmark. Without notice staff will still try to help, but your parent may wait longer, as booked passengers usually get priority.
Yes. You can request assistance through the airline’s website or call centre using your parent’s booking reference, or ask the travel agent who made the booking. Add your contact number if allowed, keep the written confirmation, and make sure every flight in the itinerary, including connections and the return, shows the assistance request.
Usually not, as most airports only allow travelling passengers with a boarding pass past security. The airport’s assistance team takes over after check-in. If you want one person to stay with your parent throughout, a private meet & assist greeter can escort them where the airport allows.
PRM assistance is the free service airports and airlines provide to passengers with reduced mobility, including wheelchairs and boarding help, booked through the airline. Meet and greet is a paid, private service in which a named greeter meets the passenger, escorts them through the airport and often arranges porters, fast track or lounge access. Many families combine both.
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