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Assistance at the Airport

Woman in wheelchair smiling and looking up at woman

Assistance at the Airport

Your guide to departing and arriving back at East Midlands with Assisted Travel

Your accessible airport guide

We want you to have the smoothest journey through the airport possible, so whatever level of assistance you may need, our team are on hand to help. Visit our Facilities page to plan ahead on anything you may wish to use, as well as our walking distance guide for further information. 

Departing


Arriving at the airport


Once you arrive at the airport, please make your way to Departures. If you're in one of our car parks, all our buses are wheelchair accessible, with bus drivers also trained to support passengers with additional requirements. If you need further assistance then please use the contact numbers displayed on signage to call or WhatsApp us. This will connect you to a member of our Assisted Travel team. (These are priority numbers and should be used for mobility assistance related enquiries only.)

Reporting to the Assisted Travel desk


Once you’re in the terminal, please report to the Assisted Travel desk in the main check-in hall to discuss the assistance you need with a member of our friendly staff.  

We advise that you arrive at the airport no less than two hours in advance of your scheduled departure time, preferably more. You should present yourself to our Assisted Travel team no less than 1 hour 30 minutes before your scheduled departure time. 

You may either check in your luggage prior to booking in at the Assisted Travel desk or we can assist you with check in if required. You’ll then move onto Security – find out all about assistance at Security

In the Terminal

Wheelchairs

If you require the use of an airport wheelchair, we can arrange this for you when you report to the Assisted Travel desk. All our chairs have a storage area beneath the seat which will store most sizes of luggage. Alternatively, you are welcome to use your own wheelchair or other mobility aid until you board the aircraft. 

Quiet route

For those that would prefer a quieter route through the departure lounge, just let our team know at the Assisted Travel desk. The quieter route involves cutting out most of the retail journey post-security. 

Other facilities

We also have other facilities available such as our Assistance Lounges, Changing Places, Quiet Rooms, and more. For more information visit our Facilities page. 

Arriving


Immigration and Passport Control


If you need assistance through Immigration you will need to book assistance with your airline. A member of our Assisted Travel team will then meet you on the aircraft and escort you through the process. 

Baggage Reclaim


If you require assistance with retrieving your bags in the baggage reclaim hall, or any part of your journey from there, a member of the Assisted Travel team will be able to assist you.  

In some circumstances, there may be a short wait before we are able to provide this assistance to you. In this case, we have a dedicated assistance waiting area where we will ask you to stay until a member of staff becomes available to complete your journey. 

Lost or damaged items


For lost or damaged items, including mobility aids, please speak with your airline directly before exiting the airport. This can be done at their dedicated desk in the Baggage Reclaim Hall. If you require a wheelchair for your journey home, please speak to a member of the Assisted Travel team who will be able to assist you in arranging a loan of one of our airport wheelchairs.



BSL interpretation


East Midlands Airport have partnered with online BSL interpreting service, InterpretersLive! 

If you are a BSL user, you can use InterpretersLive! app to connect to us via an Interpreter. To get started, watch either the video user guide, or download the PDF user guide - you can also find out about device requirements

The service is available on-demand 7 days a week, and you can also pre-book BSL Video Interpreters and other types of remote communication support. 


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Airport Facilities

From Wi-Fi through to Baby Change areas, discover the fantastic facilities on offer.
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