Air Niugini Special Handling Procedures

Air Niugini Special Handling Procedure

Introduction

  • Passengers are considered incapacitated if their physical or medical condition requires special attention during ground handling, flight, and emergency evacuation.
  • Incapacitated passengers include those with permanent, stable disabilities (e.g., paralysis, deafness, blindness, pregnant mothers) who do not need medical attention.
  • Also includes those with temporary disabilities (e.g., recent surgery, broken limbs, mental or physical illness) requiring medical assistance during the flight.
  • Information on passengers with temporary disabilities must be included in the booking.
  • Special handling team will notify concerned departments and personnel.
  • Incapacitated passengers and their escorts have top priority for transportation and will not be offloaded in case of overbooking.
  • Escorts will be given seats immediately adjacent to the incapacitated passenger.
  • For safety reasons, they will not be seated near the emergency exit and are often pre-boarded.
  • The airline has the right to refuse passengers who are considered unfit to travel.
  • Medical clearance is not required for all incapacitated passengers but is generally required for those with permanent stable disabilities.

Procedures

  • Incapacitated passengers must obtain clearance 48-72 hours prior to travel.
  • This allows the airline time to ensure medical documents are fully completed, accurate, and assessed.
  • The treating doctor must liaise directly with the Airline Doctor, or medical documents can be emailed to special.handling@airniugini.com.pg for medical clearance.
  • The traveling passenger is NOT allowed to liaise with Airline Doctor for medical clearances but can follow up with the Special Handling Team via email or phone (327 3614).
  • If the Airline Doctor requires more information, Special Handling will request it via email or phone.
  • Confirmations are provided only when all arrangements (oxygen/ambulance/stretcher) are confirmed and approved by Airline Doctor.
  • Requests for more information as advised by the Airline Doctor.
  • Ambulance arrangements are the responsibility of the passenger/sponsor or Medical Escort/Doctor.
  • Special Handling Desk is the ONLY authorized desk to insert clearance and liaise with concerned departments, given that medical information is confidential.
  • Once Passenger is cleared by Airline Doctor, PX doctor liaise with Special handling Team.
  • Special handling inserts clearance/Medical Information in the system.
  • A broadcast for meet and assist will then be emailed out to concerning Departments, Stations, Ports and Medical Department (DR) 24 hours prior to travel . This applies to Pregnant mothers excluding, Stretcher and Oxygen Cases Wheelchair request, Unaccompanied Minor, Meet and Assist (Young Traveller, Elderly Passenger, Blind Passenger, etc.)
  • Therefore all travel requirement (s) done by any Travel Consultant/Agents or GSA to be emailed to special.handling@airniugini.com.pg for smooth and safe travel.
  • The same procedure applies to stretcher and Oxygen Cases for Medical Clearance; more time is needed for planning and organizing internally.
  • Treating Doctor to liaise more than 72hours prior to travel. Bookings and Ticketing must be done before 48 – 72hours prior to travel.
  • Once arrangement is confirmed, broadcast will be sent out 48hours prior to travel.
  • A Certificate of Fitness to travel by Air must also be presented to Domestic Customer Service. Incapacitated form- for international travel to be presented to International Customer Service

Categories

  • MEDA: Medical Case (company/Airline medical clearance is required).
    • For expectant mothers in normal health with no pregnancy complications below 34 weeks, no medical clearance is needed.
    • Above 34 weeks of gestation will require clearance for Domestic and International Travel; however, do require an Incapacitated Form for travel.
    • Air Travel is not recommended in the last week prior to confinement and within the first week after delivery.
  • BLND: Blind Passenger
  • DEAF: Deaf Passenger
  • OXY: Passenger requires an oxygen bottle during the flight but can travel in a cabin seat.
  • STCR: Stretcher Passenger—unable to travel in a cabin seat and must be accommodated in a horizontal position.
  • WCHC: Wheelchair (C for Cabin Seat)—passenger can occupy a seat but is completely immobile. Wheelchair is required to/from the aircraft, assistance up/down stairs, and to/from Cabin Seat.
  • WCHS: Wheelchair (S for Stairs)—passenger cannot ascend/descend steps but can make their way to cabin seat. Wheelchair is required to cover distance to/from terminal to the aircraft and assistance up/down aircraft steps.
  • WCHR: Wheelchair (R for the Ramp)—passenger can ascend/descend steps and make their way to the cabin seat. Wheelchair assistance is required to cover the distance to/from terminal to Ramp ONLY.

Stretcher and Oxygen Case

  • These requirements need a lot of time for planning and organizing due to the number of departments involved.
  • Special handling desk is the only personnel to liaise with the Doctor and concerned department.
  • Any sales officer/Agents/GSA can do a stretcher booking however it is a requirement to contact team at Special handling whether clearance is in place or passenger is cleared by Airline Doctor.
  • Booking will only be created after clearance is given by Airline Doctor.
  • Number of seats will be blocked off depending on the type of aircraft; a confirmation email or phone call to OPS department to confirm if equipment will maintain or may change due to operational requirement is needed (Sales Officers/Agents to liaise with Special handling for confirmations).
Stretcher Requirement

Equipment Details:

  • B737: 9 seats (first 3 rows of the economy cabin, Row 5DEF – 7DEF). If required, the oxygen bottle is installed in front of row 5DEF, hence no additional seats.
  • B767: 6 seats (last 3 rows of the economy cabin, rows 30AB – 32AB). If required, the oxygen bottle is installed on the floor behind 29AB in front of 30AB, hence no additional seats.
  • F100: 9 seats (from Rows 19EFG – 21EFG). If required, the oxygen bottle is installed on the floor behind Row 18EFG in front of Row 19EFG, hence no additional seats.
  • Dash8 (series) 300: 6 seats (rows 3AB – 5AB). If Oxy is required, the bottle is installed on the floor behind 2AB and in front of 3AB, hence no additional seats required.
  • 200: 6 Seats (Rows 7CD – 9CD). If oxy is required, the bottle is installed on the floor behind 6CD and in front of 7CD, hence no additional Seats.
Oxygen Requirement

Equipment Details:

  • B737: 3 Seats (rows 26 E for patient and 26 F & G for oxygen cylinder)
  • B767: 3 Seats (rows 14C for the patient and 9D & 9E for oxygen cylinder for P2-PXV) and for P2-PXW rows 9C for the patient and 9D & 9E for the oxygen cylinder)
  • Fokker Fleets F100/F70: 3 seats, oxygen bottle maybe installed in any 3 seat row, that is i.e., right hand side of the aisle only except the emergency exit rows.
  • Dash8 Series 300: 3 seats (row 12D for the patient and 13C & 13D for the oxygen cylinder)
  • 200: 3 Seats (row 8D for the patient and Row 9C and 9D for the oxygen cylinder).
    Note: Bookings done by Travel Consultant, GSA or Travel Agent, make sure to advice via email or phone call to special handling team. Hence applies to ticket Stretcher/Oxygen Booking.
    *Special handling team inserts Clearance/Medical Information in the system.
  • Broadcast for POSSIBLE STRETCHER/OXYGEN REQUIREMENT is then emailed to concerned Departments (Operations, Maintenance Watch, Engineering Department, SO Tech, etc. POSSIBLE STRETCHER/OXYGEN email is just to give a heads up for preparation purposes and give time for sponsor to make payments available.
  • Give the sponsor a deadline for STCR/OXY payment.
  • Once ticket is purchased by the client/sponsor, a CONFIRMATION email for STCR/OXY will be sent out advising the concerned Departments/Stations and Ports to carry out the necessaries.
  • CONFIRMED STRETCHER/OXYGEN REQUIREMENT is to advise Maintance Watch/Engineers/SO TECH to go ahead with the installing of stretcher and the rest of the team to perform normal ground handling procedures for smooth and safe travel.

Wheelchair Case

  • Wheelchair request can be inserted into the PNR in the system without medical clearance from our airline doctor depending on the condition of the passenger.
  • WCHC REQUEST (C for the cabin seat): the passenger can occupy a seat but is completely immobile.
    • A wheelchair assistance is needed in order to assist the passenger to/from terminal to aircraft, up/down steps and to/from cabin seat and vice versa.
    • Note: A clearance is required or may not require for this wheelchair request.
  • WCHS REQUST (S for steps): the passenger can make his/her own way to cabin seat but is unable to ascend/descend steps.
    • Wheelchair assistance is needed to assist the passenger to/from terminal to aircraft and up/down the stair of the aircraft.
    • Note: A clearance is required or may not for this wheelchair request.
  • WCHR REQUEST (R for Ramp) : the passenger can ascend/descend steps and make his/her own way to the cabin seat but is unable to walk the distance from the terminal to the aircraft.
    • This wheelchair assistance is required to help the passenger travel the distance from the terminal to aircraft.
    • Note: A clearance is required or may not for this wheelchair request.

Unaccompanied Minor

  • Ages from 6 years to 11 years old
  • Reservations to be done on Normal fare (50% from the Normal Fare is applicable for child discount) Following information is required for UMNR travel
    • Child date of birth
    • Name and contact of person dropping off the child at the respective airport
    • Relation to the traveling child. (Father/mother/sister etc.)
      UMNR service fee:
    • Domestic- K100 UMNR fee
    • International —K200 UMNR fee

Escorted Mental Patient

  • Escorted mental patients will be restrained from moving about a lot or on the ground.
  • No food, beverages or metal eating utensils will be provided to the escorted passenger, unless specially authorized by the escort.
  • Neither the escort nor the escorted passenger will be served, nor will they drink, alcoholic beverages while on board the aircraft.
  • Escorted mental patients will board first and disembark last.
  • They will be seated in the rear most available seat with the escort seated between the escorted passenger and aisle.
  • Escorted mental patients will not be seated in a row with, behind, or forward of a window exit or in a row with or opposite a door exit.
  • The carrier will accept escorted mental patients under the following conditions:
    • The requesting medical authority furnishes assurance, in writing, that an escorted mental patient can be transported safely.
    • Only one escorted patient will be permitted per flight.
    • Request for carriage is made at least 72hrs before scheduled departure.
    • Acceptance is for online travel only.
    • The escort must accompany the escorted passenger at all times.
    • The escort assures that:
      • The escorted passenger will be accompanied at all times.
      • The escorted passenger does not possess or have access to articles that could be used as deadly or dangerous weapons.
      • The escort has adequate restraining devices if needed.

Detainee/Deportee

  • All supporting documents of Detainee/Deportee are to email to security@airniugini.com.pg for clearance.
  • Clearance and Approval will only be given by the Aviation Security Manager
  • Once all is cleared an email broadcast to be sent out by Security Team to all concerning ports/station/department 24 hours prior to travel.

Miscellaneous Travel

  • Reservation is in place
  • Special Service Request for MAAS (Meet and Assist) are inserted into PNR if a passenger is a first time traveler or can only speak a certain language etc.
  • MAAS request is emailed to Special.handling@airniugini.com.pg or Sales Officer notifies the team at special handling.
  • Broadcast will be emailed out 24 hours prior to departure to concerning departments/stations and Ports. Customer Service staff will meet and assist the passenger at check-in, during boarding and at disembarkation.

Acceptance of Passengers

Refusal of Carriage (General)
  • Under the general conditions of carriage, the IATA carrier may in the exercise of reason discretion refuse to carry (and/or cancel the reserved space of a/or remove at the place en route).
  • Passengers who comply with Airline Special handling Procedures as per above will be accepted without conditions.