Travel Tips
中国东方航空
中国东方航空

Transportation Standards for Passengers with Disabilities on China-U.S. Routes

According to the requirements of the U.S. Department of Transportation Part 382 “Ensuring Safe Accommodations for Air Travelers With Disabilities Using Wheelchairs”, the transportation standards for passengers with disabilities on China-U.S. routes are as follows:

I. Passengers can check in wheelchairs (including electric wheelchairs) or scooters. If the electric wheelchair or scooter contains lithium batteries, China Eastern’s lithium battery transportation standards shall apply.

 

wheelchair illustration

scooter illustration

 

For the convenience of passengers to determine whether their personal wheelchairs or scooters can be loaded into the cargo hold, the cargo hold dimensions of China Eastern Airlines’ aircrafts are as follows:

model Cargo door dimensions (unit: meter)
B777 Front compartment: 1.70 x 2.59
Rear compartment: 1.70 x 2.59
Bulk compartment: 1.12 x 0.84
B787 Front compartment: 1.70 x 2.69
Rear compartment: 1.70 x 2.69
Bulk compartment: 1.51 x 1.02
B737 Front compartment: 0.89 x 1.22
Rear compartment: (0.79~0.89) x 1.22
A319 Front compartment: 1.233 x 1.816
Rear compartment: 1.233 x 1.816
A320 Front compartment: 1.228 x 1.817
Rear compartment: 1.228 x 1.817
Bulk compartment: 0.704 x 0.954
A321 Front compartment: 1.235 x 1.817
Rear compartment:1.235 x 1.817
Bulk compartment: 0.704 x 0.954
A330 Front compartment: 1.699 x 2.701
Rear compartment: 1.682 x 2.446
Bulk compartment: 0.62 x 0.95
A350 Front compartment: 1.679 x 2.852
Rear compartment: 1.679 x 2.797
Bulk compartment: 0.762 x 0.950

 

II. If a passenger needs to use a cabin wheelchair, he/she should apply through China Eastern's direct sales channels 48 hours before the flight takes off; if a passenger needs to use a ground wheelchair or requires assistance getting on and off the aircraft, he/she should apply through China Eastern's direct sales channels 24 hours before the flight takes off.

III. The following service standards will take effect on January 16, 2025
1. China Eastern will ensure passengers' rights to enplane and deplane in a normal order, except when passengers need assistance from others to deplane.
2. After arrival passengers can pick up their portable wheelchairs or scooters at the boarding gate. Passengers can also specify a delivery point within the destination airport to pick up their checked wheelchairs or scooters. China Eastern will ensure ground wheelchair services for passengers before the pickup.
3. If the wheelchair or scooter checked by the passenger is within China Eastern's carriage scope but cannot be loaded in the cargo hold of the original flight, China Eastern will allow the passenger to deplane and rebook the passenger on the next available China Eastern flight or transfer the passenger to a foreign carrier’s flight.
4. If delayed transportation of the checked wheelchair or scooter incurs additional costs for passengers traveling to and from the airport, passengers should provide a receipt or invoice and China Eastern will compensate after verification.
5. If passengers find that their wheelchair or scooter is damaged due to China Eastern's cause after arrival, they may contact the Complaints Resolution Official (CRO) of the destination airport within 7 days after China Eastern delivers the wheelchair or scooter to them. If passengers have left the airport, they may contact China Eastern baggage service hotline 400-60-95530 within 7 days after China Eastern delivers the wheelchair or scooter to them.
6. If a passenger’s checked wheelchair or scooter is delayed during transportation, or damaged and needs repair or replacement, China Eastern will provide passengers with a wheelchair or scooter for their convenience. If passengers believe that the wheelchair or scooter provided by China Eastern cannot meet their functional and safety-related needs, they can rent a wheelchair or scooter with corresponding functions. Within 30 days after passengers submit a complete rental receipt or invoice and claim compensation for the rental fee, China Eastern will verify and provide compensation.

IV. The following service standards will take effect on March 17, 2025
1. If passengers find their checked wheelchair or scooter is damaged after arrival, China Eastern will be responsible for device repair or replacement, and will pay the relevant costs. If passengers choose a vendor within a reasonable range, China Eastern will be responsible for transporting the damaged wheelchair or scooter to the vendor and pay the cost of repair or replacement.
2. If the checked wheelchair or scooter is within China Eastern's carriage scope but cannot be loaded in the cargo hold of the original booked flight, and the passenger eventually switch to another China Eastern flight on the same day and the same route, the passenger may claim a reimbursement for the fare difference, provided that the fare of the new flight is lower than the original one. Passengers must request the departure airport staff to make a remark on the ticket. Passengers can then apply for a fare difference refund through China Eastern's direct sales channels with the documents used during ticket purchase and the ticket remark.

V. The following service standards will take effect on June 16, 2025
In the event of a delay in the transportation of a checked wheelchair or scooter on the China-US route, if the flight duration is within 12 hours, China Eastern will take responsibility to transport the wheelchair or scooter to the passenger's designated location (the passenger's home or the hotel where the passenger stays) within 24 hours of the passenger’s arrival; if the flight duration is more than 12 hours, China Eastern will be responsible to transport the wheelchair or scooter to the passenger's designated location (the passenger's home or the hotel where the passenger stays) within 30 hours of the passenger’s arrival.

VI. The following service standards will take effect on December 17, 2025
1. China Eastern will timely notify passengers when their wheelchair or scooter is loaded onto the aircraft and unloaded from the aircraft.
2. If a passenger's wheelchair or scooter cannot be promptly returned to the passenger due to abnormal transportation, and the passenger chooses to wait at the airport, China Eastern will provide the passenger with safe seating accommodation at the airport and respond to the passenger's needs in a timely manner.

 

For other service standards, please refer to the China Eastern Airlines Corporation Limited General Conditions for Transportation of Passenger and Baggage and Service Instructions for Special Passengers.