Flying With a Wheelchair Doesn’t Have to Feel Overwhelming
Practical, lived-experience guidance to help you prepare for your flight, protect your wheelchair and understand what to expect, from planning to arrival.
The Travelling Para is for:
- wheelchair users planning or returning to air travel
- people flying for the first time after injury or disability
- families, carers and support workers
- health professionals supporting people to return to travel
If flying with a wheelchair feels complicated or overwhelming, start with the practical guides above and work through them at your own pace.
BEFORE YOU FLY
Prepare your paperwork, batteries and equipment.
FLYING WITH YOUR WHEELCHAIR
Learn what happens from check-in to arrival.
PROTECT YOUR WHEELCHAIR
Reduce the risk of damage to your chair.
Airline Wheelchair Guides
Airline wheelchair and mobility-aid requirements differ. These guides explain the key rules and what they mean in practice.
Qantas
Wheelchair assistance, mobility aids, batteries and practical preparation.
Virgin Australia
Wheelchair assistance, mobility-device requirements and what to prepare before flying.
Jetstar
Wheelchair assistance, mobility equipment and important things to organise before travel.
Air New Zealand
Wheelchair assistance, mobility equipment and requirements for trans-Tasman and international travel.
PRACTICAL CHECKLISTS & RESOURCES
Simple, practical tools to help you prepare for travel, organise your wheelchair and reduce last-minute stress.
OVERSEAS TRAVEL CHECKLIST
Planning, packing, documents and essential preparation for overseas travel.
WHEELCHAIR PREPARATION
What to remove, secure, photograph and explain before handing over your chair.
ALL TRAVEL CHECKLISTS
Browse all packing, accommodation, equipment and travel-preparation checklists in one place.
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Virgin Australia SmartDrive Incident Highlights a Bigger Problem for Wheelchair Travellers
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Australia’s New Air Passenger Travel Guide: What It Means When You Fly with a Disability
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Exploring Sydney Airport’s Accessible Facilities for Travelers
LIVED EXPERIENCE
Practical travel advice shaped by real-world experience as a wheelchair user and frequent flyer.
AIRLINE RULES EXPLAINED
Plain-English guidance on airline requirements, mobility aids, batteries and assistance.
ADVOCACY THAT GETS RESULTS
Constructive work with airlines, airports and industry to improve accessible air travel.
MEET STUART
Stuart Hurst is a wheelchair user, former aircraft engineer and founder of The Travelling Para.
He combines lived experience with aviation knowledge to provide practical guidance on flying with a wheelchair and to advocate for safer, more consistent accessible air travel.
FOR HEALTH PROFESSIONALS
Supporting someone who wants to return to travel after injury or disability? The Travelling Para provides practical resources for occupational therapists, rehabilitation teams, support workers and other professionals helping people rebuild confidence and independence.
ABOUT THE TRAVELLING PARA
Practical, lived-experience guidance for wheelchair users who want to travel with more confidence, especially when flying.
THE BOARDING GATE BRIEFING
Practical wheelchair travel advice, airline accessibility updates and new resources delivered occasionally by email.
PROFESSIONAL RESOURCES
Practical resources for health professionals supporting people returning to travel.
Built from lived experience as a wheelchair user — practical, independent and advocacy-driven.