Can your personal care attendant fly for free? Now that “One-Person One-Fare” is the law of the land in Canada, the answer to that question is a qualified yes. In fact, many wheelchair-users can now qualify for free personal care attendant airfare on Canadian domestic flights. And although there are still rules and regulations to follow; once you know the procedures, it’s easy to take advantage of this new program.

Do All Wheelchair-Users Qualify?
Under the new regulation, passengers defined as “people with severe disabilities” may qualify for free personal care attendant travel, as long as an attendant is needed for their in-flight personal care or safety, “as required by the carriers’ domestic tariffs”. It does not apply to:

• Passengers who prefer to travel with a companion
• Passengers who only require a personal care attendant at their destination

The airlines are responsible for determining eligibility; however there isn’t a publicly available list of qualifying disabilities. Eligibility is determined on a case-by-case basis, but the documentation at least implies that it will apply to quadriplegics.

The Canadian Transportation Agency estimated the rule would only affect approximately 0.09 percent of Air Canada's annual passengers. Considering those numbers, it’s believed that some wheelchair-users won’t make the cut; however, since the exact eligibility standards aren’t a matter of public record, it doesn’t hurt to apply. The worst thing that can happen is that you will be turned down. Best case scenario – your personal care attendant will fly for free.

Getting Your Free Seat
Although Air Canada and WestJet have different medical forms, the basic eligibility procedures are the same. Here’s what you need to do:

• Make your reservation.

• Contact the airline to obtain the necessary medical certification forms.

• Have your doctor complete the forms and return them to the airline.

• An authorization code will be sent to you by the airline medical department, if you qualify.

• Call the airline and provide the authorization code, along with your booking number to request a free seat for your personal care attendant.

After the initial application, passengers with disabilities can get permanent medical confirmation, eliminating the need for subsequent medical exams. Passengers must pay all taxes and user fees for the free seat; and attendants must be at least 16 years old on Air Canada, and 18 years old on WestJet.

Plan Ahead for Best Results
All arrangements must be made at least 48 hours in advance; but Emily, a C-8 quadriplegic who recently took advantage of the new program, recommends planning even farther out.

Emily flew from Prince George to Vancouver on WestJet, and she estimates that the whole approval process took about two days. She’s filled with praise for WestJet and admits the delays were mainly due to issues in her doctor’s office. Now that Emily is approved, she can just call a special WestJet number to make subsequent reservations.

“Plan ahead and get your form approved in advance,” cautions Emily, “just in case you need to fly quickly.” After that, the procedure is as simple as making a reservation.

Candy Harrington is the editor of Emerging Horizons and the author of Barrier Free Travel: A Nuts and Bolts Guide For Wheelers and Slow Walkers. She blogs regularly about accessible travel issues at www.BarrierFreeTravels.com.