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Special Assistance

HK Express is committed to providing you with safe, reliable service, and our friendly staff are available to help throughout your journey. We understand that in certain situations travel can be particularly stressful. Please review the guidelines below to ensure you have a smooth experience at the airport and in the air.

To submit your special assistance request, please contact us via our WhatsApp +852 3951 7229 during our service hours from 08:00hrs to 20:00hrs, Monday to Sunday. Alternatively, you may also reach out to us via our Service Request Form. For more details of our other contact channels, please visit https://www.hkexpress.com/en-hk/need-help/customer-care/ 

Customers with reduced mobility

Customers with reduced mobility refers to any person whose mobility when flying is reduced due to any impairment including those requiring the use of wheelchairs, canes or other device; vision, hearing or speech impairments; intellectual disability or impairments including developmental disabilities; medical conditions whether temporary or permanent.

Most Customers who have one or more of these disabilities can travel safely without extraordinary assistance. Therefore, it is safe to assume that a Customer with reduced mobility is self-reliant. Customer shall NOT be refused air transport on the grounds of their disability or lack of mobility, except ONLY for reasons which are justified on the grounds of safety.

Special Assistance Customers

Customers with reduced mobility or medical conditions who are unable to complete any of the below tasks independently; are defined as “Special Assistance Customers”.

  • Unfasten their seat belts
  • Leave their seats and reach an emergency exit unaided
  • Retrieve and fit their own lifejackets
  • Put on oxygen masks without assistance

They are required to fly with a Personal/Safety Assistant who must be 18 or above years of age and must be physically and mentally capable of providing the required assistance.

In addition, we are unable to provide assistance in performing tasks which would fall into the category of ‘personal care’, it includes:

  • Breathing (reliance on supplementary oxygen)
  • Feeding (Cabin crew can open and describe content of food items but will not perform the task of feeding)
  • Toileting (if the passenger is incapable of using the toilet facilities unaided)
  • Medicating (if the passenger is incapable of administering their own medicines and medical procedures)

Customers travelling with a Personal/Safety Assistant must not be seated at emergency exit rows or seated wherein they could obstruct emergency exits, impede the crew of their duties, obstruct access to emergency equipment or hinder aircraft evacuations.

Travelling with a Wheelchair

If you require wheelchair assistance, we ask that you make your request at least 48 hours prior to departure when possible. This can be done via our call center where our friendly and knowledgeable staff will guide you through the booking process. When possible, travel with a wheelchair should be noted at time of booking. Advance notice is important to ensure that we can meet your needs and assist you upon arrival at the airport.

Please ensure that you arrive at the airport at least 180 minutes before scheduled departure time so that check in, security and immigration matters can be fulfilled before the flight boarding time. Customers are welcome to use their own wheelchair as far as the boarding area.

Once you arrive at the boarding gate please make yourself known to a ground crew member prior to boarding. We will ensure you are safely transferred to the aircraft. Once onboard our friendly cabin crew members will be there to assist you during the flight.

Travelling with Infants

We value the comfort and safety of each of our Customers, including those with infants. Infants can only be accepted for travel after 7 days from birth. You can make infant bookings online or via our Call Center 48 hours before travelling due to the limited number of infants that can be accommodated on a flight for safety reasons. Below are some guidelines when travelling with an infant.

  • An infant is any Customer who is less than two years of age for the entirety of the itinerary.
  • To ensure the safety of all Customers, only one infant per adult (legal parent or guardian) is permitted. This responsible person must be over 18 years of age.
  • Foldable Strollers are allowed to be carried onboard our aircraft as long as they meet the requirements of our carry-on baggage policy and; if there is sufficient space for storage.
  • Strollers and Car Type Safety Seats can be checked for free and will not count towards baggage allowance.

Seating Requirements

Please note that HK Express does not offer bassinets in-flight.

HK Express will provide an infant seat belt in-flight. Infant MUST be secured by an infant seat belt on the adult’s lap for take-off, landing and whenever the fasten seat belt sign is illuminated.

Up to two infants per row and only one infant on each side can be accommodated due to the limited number of oxygen masks available.

Car-Type Safety Seat

If a Car-Type Safety Seat is to be used for an infant or child between 6 months and 3 years old, the Customer must bring their own and an extra seat must be purchased. The Customer is responsible for installing the Car-Type Safety Seat on the passenger seat. Car-Type Safety Seat can only be accepted on a window seat.

Should Customers choose to bring their own Car-Type Safety Seat on-board, the seat must meet the following requirements as stipulated below:

  • Must be forward facing and the width must not exceed 16.5 inches
  • Have a well-defined shell and where there is a separate shell and under-structure, they must be securely attached to each other
  • Be of a design that the child can easily and quickly be secured in or removed from the seat.
  • Have a single release type harness which secures the infant’s lap, torso and shoulders while preventing unreasonably easy release
  • The harness straps of the safety seat must be a minimum width of 1”/25mm
  • Must meet at least one of the below international standards:
    • European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) ETSO-C100b
    • Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) TSO-C100, TSO-C100a, TSO-C100b, or TSO-C100c
    • European Safety Standard requirements of Economic Commission for Europe (ECE) Regulation 44
    • United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard FMVSS 213
    • Australia / New Zealand Standard (AS/NZS) 1754

Summary

Summary
Age Seating Requirement

8 days – 6 months

Infant Safety Belt (On adult’s lap)

6 months – 2 years old

Infant Safety Belt (On adult’s lap)
OR
Car Type Safety Seat

2 – 3 years old

Car Type Safety Seat

CARES Harness

As an alternative to the Car-Type Safety Seat, Customers may purchase an extra seat and bring their own FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) approved CARES Harness to secure their child for the flight.

Please note that the child should be:

  • able to sit upright unsupported on a forward-facing seat
  • under 1m (40 in) in height
  • between 10-20kg (22-44lb) in weight

CARES Harness must meet the following requirements as stipulated below:

  • Must have the correct FAA label attached
  • Must function normally
  • Not to be installed on seats with airbag seat belts
  • Not to be used on emergency exit row seats

Customers are responsible for the correct installation of the CARES Harness onboard. For more information, please visit http://kidsflysafe.com/

Travelling with Children

Any customer that is aged between 2-11 years inclusive is classified as a child and must occupy a purchased seat. HK Express does not offer child discounts as we offer the same low fares to all our customers. As per the requirement from Civil Aviation Department of Hong Kong, children between the age of 2 to 3 years old must be secured either with an adult safety belt, a CARES Harness, a Car-Type Safety Seat. Children above the age of 3 years old must be secured with an adult safety belt or a CARES harness. 

Travelling with Elderly Customers

Elderly Customers will be given special assistance if required.

Please inform us in 48 hours in advance if you need any special assistance before, during or after the flight. 

HK Express allows Customers to bring certain types of mobility aids such as canes, crutches and walkers on board the aircraft, provided they can be safely stowed within the aircraft.

Special Meals

It’s important to note that food and beverage onboard HK Express flights are available for purchase only. If you have dietary restrictions, religious requirements or are travelling with children, we suggest that you select accordingly. We cannot guarantee the availability of specific items on any of our flights.

Vision and Hearing Impaired Customers

We want all of our Customers to have a safe, smooth journey when travelling with us. If you require assistance due to a vision or hearing impairment, please contact our call center to request additional assistance at least 48 hours prior to the flight. This will ensure a smooth and hassle free journey.

Travelling with a Guide Dog / Assistance Dog (Disability Assistance Dog*)

Guide Dog: is one that is trained to provide mobility assistance to a blind or partially sighted person. A Guide Dog is one that is trained by an individual or organization that is accepted by and affiliated to the International Guide Dog Federation.

Assistance Dog: is one that has been specifically trained to assist a disabled person and that has been qualified by an organization registered as a member of the Assistance Dog International and Assistance Dogs Europe. The dog will have been granted certification by the relevant country’s Health Department on the basis that the dog’s high standard of training, behaviour, health and welfare are such that it should be permitted to accompany its client, owner or partner at all times and in all places.

Guide Dog/Assistance Dogs shall only be accepted for carriage in the cabin provided that:

  1. They meet the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department(AFCD)’s definition of Disability Assistance Dog(DAD)*;
  2. The Customer has obtained a Special Permit from AFCD for the Importation/Transit/ Transshipment of the dog;
  3. The passenger has obtained prior written approval from AFCD for in-cabin transportation of the Guide Dog/Assistance Dog; and
  4. Original copies of all documentations required by AFCD are presented at check-in and on arrival into Hong Kong.

Guide and Assistance Dogs being imported or travelling in transit or transshipment to countries other than Hong Kong should comply with the regulations of their final or transit destination, as well as the HKCAD’s guidelines 6.4 in CAD 800.

Care and supervision of the Guide and Assistance Dogs is the sole responsibility of their owners and we require that the dogs relieve themselves in a way that does not create a health or sanitation issue inflight. Also, if the dogs present a trip hazard or hazards to other Customers, we will be unable to carry them.

Please notify our call center 48 hours before your flight to advise us when you are travelling with a Guide or Assistance Dog and submit the required documentation as soon as possible after initial contact with our Call Centre. We are unable to allow carriage without the required documentation that satisfy the requirements from the origin and destination countries.

Dogs not meeting the definition of Guide and Assistance Dogs, are pets, which HK Express does not accept carriage of such animals.

*According to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) of Hong Kong, a Disability Assistance Dog (DAD) is defined as a dog that has been trained to help people with physical disabilities to gain more personal independence. DADs are non-aggressive, highly obedient and hard-working. Their health conditions are regularly and closely monitored by veterinary surgeons and they would have a good history of vaccination against major infectious diseases.

Medical Assistance

We acknowledge the need for passengers to travel with pre-existing/permanent or temporary medical conditions. Most conditions will not prevent a passenger from travelling. However due to the effects of cabin environment that may deteriorate your condition, medical clearance is required for many conditions to ensure that you can complete the flight safely without requiring extraordinary medical assistance.

You must declare your medical conditions by contacting our Customer Care team at least 72 hours prior to flight departure.

Medical Clearance

To ensure you are safe to fly, medical clearance may be required when you:

  1. suffers from a communicable disease that poses a direct threat to the health and safety of themselves or others on the flight
  2. doubts his/her fitness to travel as a result of recent illness, hospitalisation, injury or surgery and there is reasonable doubt that they can complete the flight safely without requiring extraordinary medical assistance during the flight
  3. has an existing medical condition where there is reasonable doubt that they can complete the flight safely without requiring extraordinary medical assistance during the flight e.g. breathing difficulties, unstable angina, terminal illness, etc.
  4. requires to use Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC) onboard

If you need to submit medical clearance, you will need to complete the ‘Passenger Medical Clearance form’ and please ensure to complete it in full. You should complete Part 1 of the form and Part 2 by your registered treating doctor. The completed form must be submitted to our Customer Care team via email no later than 72 hours prior to flight departure.

‘Passenger Medical Clearance form’ must be dated within 10 days of the initial outbound travel date. The same form is also valid for your return journey if the return sector is within 14 days of the departure sector.

For passengers requiring medical clearance, please keep in mind that you are not able to be seated in an emergency exit row seat when selecting your seat due to regulatory requirements.

You may be subject to medical assessments by our medical support provider at check-in if our staff have reasonable doubts on your ability to complete the journey with us without requiring extraordinary medical assistance throughout the course of the flight.

Portable Medical Electronic Devices (PMEDs)

Except Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) and Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC), other PMED(s) are not permitted to be used in the cabin.

If you are not using the devices in the cabin, the devices can be accepted as checked baggage and carry-on baggage in accordance with the relevant regulations (please refer to the requirements on carriage of Lithium Batteries). The size and weight of the devices must be within the baggage allowance.

Please note that PMED(s) must be self-powered and HK Express does not have electrical outlets onboard for commercial product use and accepts no responsibility or liability for any damages, injury, subsequent breakdown or operational failure of any potable medical electronic devices (PMEDs) owned, supplied or used by passengers on the aircraft.

Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC)

If you need to use a POC onboard, you are required to obtain medical clearance and shall ensure:

  1. Only FAA approved POCs can be used onboard and must have
    1. statement on the back of the POC stating in text that, “The manufacturer of this POC has determined this device conforms to all applicable FAA acceptance criteria for POC carriage and use onboard aircraft”;

      or
    2. have wording or label “FAA Approved – POC” in the user manual
  2. You must complete the ‘Passenger Medical Clearance form’ in full including the following information:
    1. Device model / Name of manufacturer
    2. Weight and dimensions
    3. You have full knowledge and physical ability to operate the device and can respond appropriately if you alert any alarms. If not, you should be accompanied by a companion who can perform these functions.
    4. Which phases of flight the passenger requires the use of the POC – Taxi, Take-off, Cruise, Approach and Landing
    5. Oxygen flow rate for the POC should be set with the consideration of air pressure in the cabin under normal operating conditions. (Aircraft cabins are pressurized to an altitude of 8,000 feet)
    6. Use a POC for medical reasons only
    7. You are capable of completing the flight safely, without requiring extraordinary medical assistance during the flight
  3. The POC must have adequate batteries to support at least 1.5 times of the total flight duration.
  4. When selecting your seat, please keep in mind POCs may not be used at a bulkhead seat or emergency exit row seat. You must be seated in a window seat that does not block the egress of another passenger. If no window seat is available, you may not be accepted on the day of travel.
  5. When in use, all POCs must be stowed in the space beneath the seat in front of you (Space dimension: 41.8 cm(w) x 24 cm(h) x 50.8 cm(L)). If your device is unable to fit under the seat, you may NOT use it during the flight but you can still carry it onboard where it will be stored in the overhead baggage compartment.
  6. If the POC is not used during flight, it should be switched off.

If you need to submit medical clearance, you will need to complete the ‘Passenger Medical Clearance form’ and please ensure to complete it in full. You should complete Part 1 of the form and Part 2 by your registered treating doctor. The completed form must be submitted to our Customer Care team via email no later than 72 hours prior to flight departure.

‘Passenger Medical Clearance form’ must be dated within 10 days of the initial outbound travel date. The same form is also valid for your return journey if the return sector is within 14 days of the departure sector.

You are subject to medical assessment by our medical support provider at check-in if our staff have reasonable doubts on their ability to complete your flight journey with us without requiring extraordinary medical assistance throughout the course of the flight.

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) and Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP)

Passengers who use CPAP or BiPAP are not required to obtain medical clearance but 72 hours’ notice is still required to validate the devices are meeting safety regulations. The devices must be self-powered using dry-cell or gel-type battery packs in accordance with all applicable regulations.

CPAP and BiPAP used onboard must have adequate batteries to support at least 1.5 times of the total flight duration. The use of CPAP and BiPAP shall only be allowed during cruise and these devices shall remain off and stowed during taxi, take-off and landing.

Injectable Medication and Needles

Generally, passengers are permitted to carry injectable medications and associated supplies (including needles, syringes, and auto-injectors) for the treatment and control of their medical conditions onboard. You are recommended that:

  1. The number of syringes or needles and injectable medication that you take onboard must be reasonable considering the length of flight and the passenger’s condition.
  2. The syringes or needles must be carried together with the injectable medication for airport security inspection. Bringing sharp objects onboard may be subject to the local country’s safety and security clearance procedures and is beyond the control of the airline. Please check with the specific country’s security and customs agencies you are transitioning through.
  3. The items shall be accessible at any time for security inspection.
  4. The syringes and injectable medications should be clearly labelled to identify your name and the medication. If the syringes and injectable medications are not clearly labelled, you should carry a supporting letter issued and signed by registered treating doctor indicating your name and the medication.
  5. You should carry a supporting letter issued and signed by registered treating doctor stating that he/she suffers from a condition that requires the use of syringes and injectable medication onboard.
  6. For hygiene reasons, we will not be able to refrigerate the medication. If you are bringing medications that requires refrigeration, the medications should be packed into a cooler bag or vacuum flask along with dry ice. You may bring your own dry ice in quantities of less than 2.5kg (4.41 lbs) which is suitably packed to allow carbon dioxide gases to evaporate freely. A label with words “dry ice” and net weight of dry should be placed on the package. You should declare to our ground staff that you are bringing dry ice onboard at the time of check-in.
  7. Ice gel packs may also be used inflight. The allowed volume of each individual ice gel pack shall not exceed 100ml and are subject to security control under the carriage of Liquids, Aerosols and Gels (LAG) in carry on baggage of passengers.
  8. Used syringes should be disposed of in the ‘sharps box’, which is carried on-board for all our flights. Please ask our cabin crew for assistance.

Stretcher

Stretcher facilities are not available on HK Express aircraft, therefore stretcher service will not be provided on our flights.

Oxygen for Medical Use

Passengers are not permitted to bring their own oxygen onboard and we are not able to arrange oxygen bottles or provide inflight oxygen for passengers to use. If you need to use oxygen bottles or inflight medical oxygen system, you will not be accepted onboard.

Peanut or Tree Nut Allergy

We recognise that some passengers may have allergic reactions to peanuts or tree nuts that can be life threatening. However, due to several factors and constraints within our operational network, we are unable to provide a peanut or tree nut free environment, or fulfil requests of creating a peanut or tree nut allergy free buffer zones for passengers.

For passengers who declare peanut or tree nut allergies but do not require any special treatment or a strict peanut or tree nut free environment, medical clearance is not required prior to acceptance.

Passengers who declare a peanut or tree nut allergy and require any special treatment or a strict peanut or tree nut free environment, acceptance on HK Express flights is prohibited.

We are unable to provide a peanut or tree nut free environment as:

  1. peanut or tree nut products may be available for sales as inflight products
  2. we are unable to provide a peanut or tree nut free meal
  3. we may not insist cabin crew to tell surrounding passengers not to eat peanuts or tree nuts
  4. we may not make inflight public announcement requesting other passengers to refrain from consuming peanuts or tree nuts
  5. we cannot guarantee all traces of peanuts or tree nuts are removed from the cabin
  6. the inflight air filtration systems are not designed to remove nut allergens
  7. request for advance boarding to clean the seating area cannot be accommodated because of operational limitations

If you decide to carry their own medication/syringes or needles, please refer to Injectable Medication and Needles.

Pregnant Customers

Flying during a pregnancy is common; however, depending on the gestation period, HK Express requires a Doctors Certificate stating you are “fit to travel” and signed by your personal physician which has been issued within 7 days of departure. Please refer to the table below for exact details, travel must be completed by the times below:

Pregnant Customers
For a single pregnancy For a known multiple pregnancy
No medical certificate is required Up to the 27th week of pregnancy Up to the 27th week of pregnancy
Medical certificate is required within 7 days of travel to prove fit for travel and confirm the expected dare of delivery At 28th week and up to 35th week of pregnancy At 28th week and up to 31st week of pregnancy
Expectant mothers cannot be accepted for air travel At or beyond 36th week of pregnancy At or beyond 32nd week of pregnancy

Accompanied Travel

Under all circumstances you must be able to travel under your own power, or be accompanied by an adult customer for all flights on your itinerary. Failure to adhere to this guideline or any of the items specified above may result in denied boarding and the forfeiture of all amounts associated with your booking.

Wheelchair carried as baggage

Wheelchairs’ belonging to customers with reduced mobility will be transported free of charge.

We accept collapsible manual wheelchairs as checked-in baggage, if the wheelchair does not safely fit in the overhead cabin bin. Please note that although we will make every effort not to dismantle your wheelchair, in order to comply with safety requirements, we may need to dismantle your wheelchair, depending on its size.

If you are travelling with a battery powered wheelchair that needs to be transported as baggage, it will need to be in compliance with IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations. If it is in compliance with IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, we will ask you to relinquish your battery powered wheelchair upto an hour in advance of your flights departure, in which case you will be transferred to an airport wheelchair till you board the aircraft. The battery powered wheelchair will be transported in the cargo compartment of the aircraft, we recommend carriage of all removable parts of the wheelchair in the cabin overhead bins. Please note that although we will make every effort not to dismantle your wheelchair, in order to comply with safety requirements, we may need to dismantle your wheelchair, depending on its size.

Wet Cell batteries (Spillable)

If your wheelchair is powered by a wet cell battery, the battery must be removed and placed in protective packaging that is leak-tight and impervious to battery fluid. This package must be carried in the passenger cabin. We recommend you to label the battery cables with corresponding colored tape or provide detailed disconnection and reconnection directions, enabling us to best assist you to reconnect the battery to the wheelchair upon arrival at your destination.

Dry Cell batteries (Non-Spillable)

If your wheelchair is powered by a non-spillable battery, the battery can remain secured on the device. However, if the device does not have an effective means of preventing unintentional activation (key turned to “off” and removed, on/off switch in the “off” position, quick disconnection of the joystick, etc.), the battery must be disconnected and the battery terminals protected from short circuit.

Lithium-Ion batteries (Li-ion)

If your wheelchair is powered by a lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery, please contact our Call Centre at least 48 hours prior to departure to verify whether your battery powered wheelchair complies with IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, thereby enabling us to best assist you.

The Li-ion battery must show no signs of any defects or damage. The wheelchair must be transported as checked baggage. If the Li-ion battery is securely attached and protected from short-circuit by being fully enclosed in the device’s battery housing, the battery may remain installed and there is no limit to battery size on these types of devices.

If your wheelchair is specifically designed to allow its battery to be easily removed (collapsible), there is a battery size limit. The battery must be removed, protected from short circuit, and carried onboard to be stowed in the cabin. The battery’s size in watt-hours must be displayed on the battery, or the battery should be labeled with its voltage and amp-hour (or milliamp-hour) ratings to allow for size calculation (see formula below) if needed. Any spare batteries must be transported as carry- on baggage with the battery terminals protected to prevent short circuit. A single spare battery may be transported, as long as its size does not exceed 300 watt-hours. Two spare batteries may be carried provided that each battery is not over 160 watt-hours in size.

Some Li-ion batteries do not display the watt-hour rating on the battery label. The following formulas may be used to determine the watt-hours rating for your Lithium-ion battery:

If the battery lists the Amp-hour rating, use this formula:

Volts (V) x Amp-hours (Ah) = Watt-hours (Wh)

Example for a single battery:

10 volts multiplied by 28 Amp-hours = 280 watt-hours

The 280 watt-hours are below the 300 watt-hour limit for a single battery, so your battery would be allowed.

If the battery lists the Milliamp-hour rating, use this formula instead:

Volts (V) x Milliamp-hours (mAh) ÷ 1,000 = Watt-hours (Wh)

Example for a single battery:

10 volts multiplied by 28,000 Milliamp-hours ÷ 1,000 = 280 watt-hours

The 280 watt-hours is below the 300 watt-hour limit for a single battery, so your battery would be allowed.

When travelling with a battery powered wheelchair, please bring the below with you to the airport:

  • The wheelchair’s User manual, including the battery specifications
  • Special Tools that may be needed to dismantle and reassemble your wheelchair.
  • For Lithium-Ion Battery operated wheelchairs, the document that proves the battery meets the requirements of each test specified in UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, Part III Section 38.3

Please contact our Call Centre at least 48 hours prior to departure to verify whether your battery powered wheelchair complies with IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, thereby enabling us to best assist you.