Special needs

Airnorth acknowledges that some customers will need special assistance to meet our conditions of carriage and is committed to accommodate those passengers within the limits of its capability and practicality.

• Medical needs
• Medical clearance
• Travelling with infants
• Unaccompanied children
• Escorting a child
• Flying when pregnant
• Flying with animals

Medical needs  

Airnorth provides special assistance to passengers who:

• need to travel with a guide dog
• need to travel with a hearing or mobility dog
• require a wheelchair to reach the aircraft
• require two seats for themselves

For your special assistance requirements, please contact Airnorth prior to making your booking. Passengers who have made special arrangements will be boarded first.

A passenger with special medical and/or mobility needs is required to travel with Airnorth with an Accompanying Passenger*.  If the passenger can travel independently, meaning that they can travel safely without assistance, supervision or both, Airnorth will allow boarding. Please contact Airnorth on 1800 627 474 for further information.

*Accompanying Passenger means a paying passenger who, in our reasonable opinion, can travel independently and is able to and will provide the appropriate assistance, supervision, or both, as is required for the particular customer they are accompanying. As a guide, Airnorth generally will not consider a passenger to be an appropriate Accompanying Passenger for a child unless the passenger is at least 15 years old.

Greater Freedom Fare

A passenger who has special needs must book through Airnorth Reservations on 1800 627 474. If Airnorth requires the passenger to be accompanied in-flight by a safety assistant, a special fare called the "Greater Freedom Fare" may be available for that safety assistant. The Greater Freedom Fare is 10% of the full economy fare and is fully flexible up to the date of travel without additional fees.

If the passenger is remaining longer than three days at the first destination, the safety assistant may return to the uplift point and return to the first destination to accompany the passenger on the return journey. All sectors will be at 10% per person plus taxes and charges when applicable.

Special Needs Information Form

Individual customers have different needs and require different types and levels of assistance. To ensure that assistance can be adequately provided, passengers are advised to provide Airnorth with information regarding their requirements prior to travel. This is done through the use of a Special Needs Information Form (SNIF).

Airnorth respects the privacy of its customers and endeavours to obtain this information once per customer, and to retain it in a special needs profile.

Email reservations@airnorth.com.au or call 1800 627 474  for more information about the Special Needs Information form.

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Medical clearance

Passengers must obtain a medical clearance from their treating doctor at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled flight. Visit the Medical clearance page for more detailed information.

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Travelling with infants

• Infants less than 48 hours old will not be accepted for carriage
• Infants less than seven days of age will not be carried unless extenuating circumstances exist
• If extenuating circumstances exist, the infant must be assessed by a medical practitioner and provided with a Medical clearance 

Children under two years of age who do not occupy a seat are carried free of charge.

Each infant must be accompanied by a separate adult. Children over two years of age must occupy a separate seat. For domestic travel children under two can travel on their parents’ tickets, however on a international service infants will be issued their own ticket.

A parent nursing an infant is provided with a special seat belt on al our aircraft. The infant seatbelt must be fastened as directed by the flight crew. On all Airnorth flights, families are seated together whenever possible.

Children are entitled to the same baggage allowance as adults, however infants are provided with a 10kg allowance only.

Adults accompanying infants are entitled to check-in one collapsible stroller or a carry basket, to be stowed in the aircraft hold and infant food and nappies for use in flight. This is in addition to the normal free baggage allowance for adults.

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Unaccompanied children

Airnorth requires that passengers are able to travel independently. We do not assume responsibility for assistance and close supervision of children, particularly on services that operate without a cabin attendant. Children requiring close supervision may not be regarded as able to travel independently on the basis that they may cause a disruption or endanger themselves or others if travelling unaccompanied.

As a guideline, children who are not yet five years of age, will be regarded as unable to travel independently and will not be eligible to travel unless they are accompanied by an appropriate Accompanying Passenger*.  

When a child is travelling alone, they must be escorted by an adult to the airport and remain at the airport for approximately 30 minutes after the flights departure in the event that the aircraft returns.

Children are entitled to the same baggage allowance as adults.

*Accompanying Passenger means a paying passenger who, in our reasonable opinion, can travel independently and is able to and will provide the appropriate assistance, supervision, or both, as is required for the particular customer they are accompanying. As a guide, Airnorth generally will not consider a passenger to be an appropriate Accompanying Passenger for a child unless the passenger is at least 15 years old.

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Escorting a child

If the passenger is under 12 years of age and is travelling unaccompanied they will be escorted through the airport by airline staff.  

If the passenger is between 12 and 15 years of age and is travelling unaccompanied they will be escorted through the airport if they do not carry an accepted form of photographic identification.

Where Airnorth accepts a child for transfer to or from another airline, the parent or guardian shall be responsible for the care and supervision of the child while in transit between flights and for meeting the requirements of the other airline. 

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Flying when pregnant

If you are expecting a child when making a booking, book your flight and when your baby is born, please call us to add their name and date of birth into the booking.

For domestic travel, there is no restriction for a normal uncomplicated pregnancy but medical clearance is required if you wish to travel past the 36th week for uncomplicated multiple pregnancy.

International travel is not permitted after the 36th week for a routine single pregnancy or the 32nd week for routine multiple pregnancies.

Pregnant customers permitted to travel must be able to comply with seat belt regulations.

Medical clearance is only required if you are having complications of pregnancy.

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Flying with animals

Service Dogs

Service dogs trained to assist customers with vision, hearing or mobility impairments are permitted to travel on Airnorth flights provided the dog is:

• Registered as a service animal with a relevant association;
• Restrained close to the passenger while on board the aircraft; and
• Placed on an absorbent mat while on board the aircraft. A suitable mat can be supplied by Airnorth provided four days’ notice is given prior to departure.

For further information and bookings please call Airnorth Reservations on 1800 627 474.

Travelling with animals

Airnorth cannot accept check-in of any animals at their major airports counters. All animals must be lodged with Australian Air Express 90 minutes prior to scheduled departure time.

Passengers wishing to travel with pets on the Arnhem Land routes, please contact Airnorth directly on 1800 627 474.

Please note that all pets entering Groote Eylandt must have a certificate confirming they have been neutered [desexed].

For all other enquiries about the carriage of animals, please contact Australian Air Express. Carriage of animals will be at the discretion of AAE.