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Other passengers with special needs

Other Passengers with Special Requirements

Elderly Passenger Service

We provide a departure guidance service for elderly passengers at selected airports in China. These services are reserved for passengers traveling on flights operated by Air China who are unfamiliar with the airport or boarding procedures.

1. Eligibility

Elderly passengers aged 65 and above as of the day of departure, who are unfamiliar with the airport or boarding procedures.

2. Applicable Flights

Applicable Flights:

Flights departing from Beijing Capital International Airport, Chengdu Tianfu/Shuangliu International Airport, Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, Tianjin Binhai International Airport, Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, Wenzhou Longwan International Airport, Hohhot Baita International Airport and Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport; flights arriving at Beijing Capital International Airport, Chengdu Tianfu/Shuangliu International Airport, Shanghai Hongqiao/Pudong International Airport, Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport, Chongqing Jiangbei International Airport, Tianjin Binhai International Airport, Wuhan Tianhe International Airport, Wenzhou Longwan International Airport, Hohhot Baita International Airport, Urumqi Diwopu International Airport, Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport, Guiyang Longdongbao International Airport, Lhasa Gongga International Airport Flights from Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport.

Service location: Service available at departure airports.

3. Services

We provide the guidance service for elderly passengers at the departure airport. The service involves guiding the elderly passenger through from the check-in counter to the boarding gate. Selected airports have established specific security-check channels for elderly passengers. Should local airport regulations allow, we also provide guidance for elderly passengers passing through these channels.

4. Service Booking

If you need this service, please make a reservation through the hotline of Air China and the ticket office directly under Air China before 16:00 the day before the flight departure.

5. Service Deadline

Considering the different physical distances and elderly policies of various airports,our guidance service is provided from 2 hours before the flight departure to 30 minutes before the check-in counter closes.

For the closing times of check-in counters, please refer to the China Airports Check-in Closing Time for Air China Flights.

★ Special Note

Air China staff cannot handle or supervise your carry-on baggage.Please familiarize yourself with the restrictions and requirements of carry-on and checked baggage. Restricted articles (such as fruit knives and alcoholic drinks) that cannot be carried into the cabin but can be checked must be checked. If the baggage exceeds the standard for non-checked baggage in the corresponding class, please check it together.

For more information on restrictions on checked and unchecked baggage, please refer to Baggage Services .



Injured and sick passengers

I. Passengers meeting the following conditions are recommended to choose other transportation modes:

1. The mental condition, behavior or physical condition of the passenger, including the influence of alcohol or drugs, may endanger or affect the safety and health of the passenger or other passengers or crew members, for example, the passenger is suffering from mental illness and may cause harm to other passengers or themselves during the illness;

2. Those with special odor or special quirks that may cause discomfort to other passengers;

2. Those with special odor or special quirks that may cause discomfort to other passengers;

4. After the injury and medical treatment, the passengers cannot use the standard seats of the aircraft for sitting or during take-off, and cannot use the seat backs to maintain an upright position during landing, and no satisfactory alternative can be found, and the safety regulations cannot be observed;

5. Those who are unable to take care of themselves due to injury, illness, infirmity or mental condition, who are not accompanied by a specially assigned person, or who cannot be taken care of or controlled independently by the accompanying person independently;

6. Passengers carrying equipment for storage, generation or distribution of oxygen;

7. After brain surgery, passengers are in a drowsy state or have irregular breathing rhythm.

II. Passengers meeting the following conditions can only take the flight if they meet certain conditions:

Types of illness of passengers

Boarding requirements

Type 1

1. Passengers who need medical care or use medical equipment to keep fit for flight (such as stretcher and POC).

2. Passengers who are known to suffer from or suspected of suffering from other serious infectious diseases other than quarantine infectious diseases.

Provide the certificate of diagnosis saying “ fit for travel ” .

Type 2

1. Passengers whose transportation is restricted due to state, disease or postoperative reaction (including complications):

(1) After the operation, the passenger is still in severe anemia (HGB ≤ 60g/L) when boarding.

(2) Complications such as unstable intraocular pressure occurred after eye surgery.

(3) Maxillofacial surgery failed to reach the healing period of practical significance (such as the suture of augmentation rhinoplasty was not removed, and after the radical cure of intoxication).

(4) The functional recovery of abdominal organs was poor after operation.

(5) Osteoporosis was treated by percutaneous balloon kyphosis (surgical method), and the planned flight time was more than 3 hours (included).

2. Passengers whose transportation is restricted due to surgery:

(1) Less than 21 days after surgery (excluding the day of surgery when calculating the date)

A. Brain and brain related surgery (such as meningeal surgery).

B. Lung and lung related surgery (such as pulmonary fungal infection).

C. Heart and heart related surgery.

(2) Less than 15 days after surgery (excluding the day of surgery when calculating the date)

Plastic surgery, plastic surgery or other medical cosmetic surgery (other than eye surgery), such as breast augmentation, nose augmentation, liposuction, etc.

(3) Less than 14 days after surgery (excluding the day of surgery when calculating the date)

A. If you have a stable intraocular pressure certificate issued by the ophthalmology department of a special hospital or a general hospital less than 14 days after the eye laser correction surgery and glaucoma surgery, the requirements and effectiveness of the stable intraocular pressure certificate are the same as those of the diagnosis certificate.

B. Nerve surgery and nerve related surgery involving trunk position.

C. Lymph node and lymph node related surgery.

(4) Less than 10 days after surgery (excluding the day of surgery when calculating the date)

A. Other periocular operations such as medial canthus enlargement or lateral canthus enlargement (eye opening angle).

B. Comprehensive surgery around the eye (such as surgery on two or more eye organs such as eyelids, corners or bags).

C. Separate double eyelid surgery or eye bag surgery, and the flight plan time is more than 3 hours (inclusive).

D. Gastric, intestinal, bladder, gall bladder, gallbladder, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, appendix, cecum, ascending colon, transverse colon, descending colon, sigmoid colon, rectum, bladder surgery and surgery involving the above organs.

(5) Less than 7 days after surgery (excluding the day of surgery when calculating the date)

A. Less than 7 days after the operation of the inner ear. If the passenger holds the certificate issued by the hospital saying that the inner ear is healed and has no complications, the requirements and effects are the same as those indicated on the diagnosis certificate.

B. Intranasal surgery.

C. Less than 7 days after removal of inferior vena cava filter screen.

Provide the certificate of diagnosis saying “ fit for travel ” . If it cannot be provided, risk Notification can be signed


Type 3

1.Kidney, liver, spleen, pancreas, ovary, testis, thyroid gland, parathyroid gland, prostate gland, adrenal gland, thymus gland, adrenal gland, pancreas, pineal gland, pituitary gland, pancreatic islet, uterus and uterine accessories (including ovary, fallopian tube, cervix, vagina), cervical vertebra, lumbar vertebra, bone (except for osteoporosis treated by percutaneous balloon kyphosis), ligament and other operations.

2.Nerve surgery and nerve related surgery involving limb position.
3.Osteoporosis is treated by percutaneous balloon kyphosis (surgical method), and the planned flight time is less than 3 hours (excluding).

4.Spinal cord drainage.

5.Skin and muscle surgery without bleeding.

Provide the certificate of diagnosis saying “ fit for travel ” or the supporting materials that can prove that the operation has been completed and the postoperative condition is good or improved (such as discharge certificate)

If the above certificates cannot be provided,

risk Notification can be signed

III.Diagnostic certificates and postoperative certificates shall meet the following requirements:

1. The diagnosis certificate is valid only if the following requirements are met at the same time

(1) Issued by a medical institution (personal doctor/family doctor shall attach a doctor's qualification certificate when issuing the certificate, such as doctor's qualification certificate and medical license);

(2) Have the doctor's signature or surname seal;

(3) Indicating that the passenger is fit for travel ;

(4) It shall be issued within 10 days before the flight takes off (excluding the date of departure when calculating the date, such as the diagnosis certificate issued on January 1, which can be used for taking the flight on January 11 at the latest).

2. Post-operation evidentiary materials can only be considered valid if they meet the following requirements at the same time

(1) Issued by a medical institution (personal doctor/family doctor shall attach a doctor's qualification certificate when issuing the certificate, such as doctor's qualification certificate and medical license);

(2) With the official seal of the medical institution or the signature or surname of the doctor;

(3) Indicating that the operation has been completed and the postoperative condition is good or improved.

Even if you have met our requirements, we still have the right to refuse to carry you if you have obvious discomfort when boarding, or if we reasonably judge that your continued boarding will endanger your personal safety.

Service reservation

If the injured or sick passengers need to take the flight, please inform us 48 hours before the flight takes off.

Check in

(1) Time limit for check-in: the same as that for ordinary passengers.

(2) Checked baggage and non-checked baggage: the same as ordinary passengers.

(3) Seating arrangement: For the sake of cabin safety, we cannot arrange emergency exit seats for the injured and sick passengers.。

(4) Necessary inspection: For passengers who need to provide diagnostic certificates or post-operation certificates, we will check relevant certificates during check-in and boarding; At the same time, we may ask you to sign our Risk Notification after informing you of aviation risks.

In-flight service

We will pay attention to the physical changes of the injured and sick passengers during the flight, and we will take corresponding measures in case of emergencies.



Stretcher passengers

1. Transportation requirements

If you are unable to sit upright in your seat during the whole flight from takeoff to landing, you can apply to us for stretcher service. If you need to apply for stretcher service, please submit an application to the ticket office directly under Air China or an authorized sales agent within the following application time limit, and we can arrange the transportation:

A. US and Canada routes, please put forward 48 hours (inclusive) before the flight takes off.

B. For routes other than those of the United States and Canada, please propose 3 days before the flight takes off (excluding the day of departure).

In order to ensure your safety during the journey, please arrange at least one adult passenger or medical staff over the age of 18 to accompany you. Please arrive at the check-in counter at least 180 minutes before the estimated departure time of your flight to check in.

22. Medical certificate

When purchasing the ticket, it is required to provide a true and valid diagnosis certificate of injury and illness issued by a doctor or a medical institution at or above the county level, which is issued no earlier than 10 days before the earliest flight date (excluding the date of departure). The expression "suitable for flight" may not be indicated.

The medical certificate of boarding permission issued within 24 hours before the flight departure shall be provided at the time of check-in.

3. Applicable fare

Our stretchers will be arranged in economy class. You need to pay the corresponding fare for the seat occupied by the stretcher installation. Please consult our staff for the specific applicable fare and taxes.

4. Free baggage allowance

The free baggage allowance for stretcher passengers on weight based routes is 60kg, and the length, width and height of each piece of baggage shall not exceed 100cm, 60cm and 40cm; The free baggage allowance for passengers with stretchers on piecework routes is 3 pieces, each piece shall not exceed 23 kg, and the sum of three sides of each piece of baggage shall not exceed 158 cm.

OPO personnel carrying human donated organs

Only applicable to domestic direct flights carried by Air China (excluding those to/from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan).

When you are the staff member of the Organ Procurement Organization (OPO) and need to transfer human donated organs by air transportation, we will open a green channel together with the ground service agent, airport management organization and air traffic management department to provide you with a special security process; otherwise, we will provide you with air transport services according to the general passenger security process:

You need to apply to us at least 4 hours before the scheduled departure time through 95583 to inform us of your flight information, the type of human organs donated, the package size, the related dangerous goods and other information.

The Transplantation Center Organ Receiving Confirmation and a copy shall be carried, indicating the legal source, purpose, contact name and telephone number of the organs transported.

The transportation container containing human donated organs shall be marked with "Special for transportation of human organs" at a prominent position; if the volume of the container exceeds the size requirements of our carry on baggage, you need to apply for seat occupying baggage service in advance; Special containers brought into the cabin shall be taken care of by you during transportation.

Passengers carrying hematopoietic stem cells

According to Article 32 of the Civil Aviation Administration Measures for the Administration of Air Transport of Human Donated Organs (Minhang Issue, 2017, No. 9), when all the following requirements are met, we will work with the ground service agent to provide special security procedures for passengers carrying hematopoietic stem cells for saving the lives of patients. Otherwise, we will provide air transport services as ordinary passengers:

1. Your identity should be the staff of the blood bank approved by the health administration department of the State Council, or the staff of the blood disease hospital, children's hospital, and the tertiary general hospital with the medical/paediatric professional diagnosis and treatment subjects approved and registered by the health administration department.

2. We need your unit to provide a letter of reference with the official seal of your organization. The letter of reference should include your identity information, travel information, information of your organization, the name of the hospital that provides and receives hematopoietic stem cells, the type and purpose of hematopoietic stem cells, details of the contents used to store hematopoietic stem cells in the storage box, and a harmless statement that there is no infection and no dangerous goods transported by air.

3. You are required to submit a transportation application to us via 95583 at least 4 hours before the scheduled departure time of the flight, and inform us of your flight information, hematopoietic stem cell type, packaging size, refrigerant properties, involved dangerous goods and other information.

4. If the volume of the storage box exceeds the size requirements of our carry on baggage, we need to handle seat occupying baggage service in advance; The storage box brought into the cabin shall be taken care of by you during transportation.

5. Hematopoietic stem cells must undergo the same safety inspection as the transportation of human donor organs.

6. Your letter of reference will be retained when we collect and transport you and your hematopoietic stem cells.

If you are a staff member of the Red Cross Society of China or the Chinese Bone Marrow Bank (including authorized personnel), we will provide you and your hemopoietic stem cells with special security procedures according to the relevant requirements of the Red Cross Society of China or the Chinese Bone Marrow Bank.