Traveling with loved ones with Cognitive Disabilities?  We teamed up with Autism Society Philippines and came up with some tips to make your travel comfortable and stress-free.



Practice, start with short trips.
Start with short trips via bus, to get them comfortable with the smaller space and with the crowd.  If it is their first time to fly, you can also help them practice by going on a short domestic trip first. 



Prepare them on what to do at the airport.
Tell them what they need to do when they get to the airport like going through security screening, placing their baggage in the x-ray machine, checking-in, waiting at the pre-departure area, boarding and arriving in your destination airport.




Walk them through the inside of an airplane.
Familiarize them on what to expect when they board the plane and during the flight.   You can also guide them through the parts of the plane - the lavatories, inflight entertainment and seat features. Please view the Aircraft Cabin Walkthrough and Aircraft Virtual Tour videos in the Travel Familiarization section of this page. 



Orient them on what to do when inside the plane.
Explain to them what they need to do when inside the plane like putting on their seatbelt throughout the entire flight and having inflight meals using the tray table. Please refer to the Travel Familiarization section of this page for our Aircraft Cabin Walkthrough and Inflight Safety videos which you can watch together.




Tell them how long the trip will be.
Being excited for their trip, they might get anxious during the flight.  Tell them ahead of time how long the flight will be in a unit of measure they are familiar with like how long their favorite show will last or when the hour hand and minute hand points to a certain number on their watch. 



Tell them about where you are going and what to expect from the trip.
Keep them interested in the trip by telling them about the places you will visit.  If you will be visiting relatives, you can also tell them who they will expect to see or the new family members they will meet.




Create a checklist or schedule for them.
Draft a checklist and schedule for them for the day of your trip so they know what to do and what will happen. You can also keep these and use it to orient them for your next trip.




Involve them in packing for the flight.
Get them involved in packing for their flight including their hand-carried baggage.  That way, they can bring things that will keep them busy or comfortable during their flight. Please also refer to Baggage Information to guide you in your packing.




Bring copies of important documents.
Make sure to bring copies of important documents enumerated below during your travel.  You can print, save in your phone, or store in your cloud network for easy access.  Give them copies of these documents so they have proper identification when needed.  





Government Issued PWD ID
Autism Society Philippines (ASP) ID or ID of the organization your loved one is affiliated with
Copy of Medical Abstract with your doctor's name and number
Passport 
VISA (if any) 
ID of  guardian

 

Bring copies of important documents.
Make sure to bring copies of important documents enumerated below during your travel.  You can print, save in your phone, or store in your cloud network for easy access.  Give them copies of these documents so they have proper identification when needed.  





Government Issued PWD ID
Autism Society Philippines (ASP) ID or ID of the organization your loved one is affiliated with
Copy of Medical Abstract with your doctor's name and number
Passport 
VISA (if any) 
ID of  guardian


Give  us a heads up, tell us how we can help you!
Do they have a seat preference? We highly suggest that you book this ahead of time as seats are subject to availability.  Please note that per CAAP regulations, persons with any type of disability are not allowed to sit on exit rows for safety reasons.



Do they have special dietary needs?  We can cater to their special needs on our international flights.  Simply tell us at least 48 hours before your flight.   You may also bring their favorite snack or meal to the flight.



Advise us through our Reservations Hotline above at least 48 hours before your flight for any special assistance you may need.




Be informed about your flight status.
Please share your contact information in your booking whether through online, mobile app,  PAL ticket office or any accredited travel agency so we can inform you if there are changes in your flight schedule.



For tickets bought from travel agencies, you will get your schedule change notifications from them.



You can also check your Flight Status on our website.




Expect the unexpected.
A change of surroundings may induce behaviors that are not typical of the Persons with Cognitive Disabilities at home.  Bring items that sooth or calm them.  Have a plan of action among the companions on what to do in case of a meltdown.




Make sure they have proper identification.
Ensure that their guardian’s name and contact number are available on their person at all times especially for non-verbal Persons with Cognitive Disabilities. This should be in the form of something they will not take-off or remove such as  labels on clothes/shoes, military dog tags, or bracelets and should have the name of their guardian and contact number (with country code).   Preferably, these should be made of plastic to avoid hassle in going through security.




Keep track of them more easily through their clothes or by using technology.
This is especially needed for Persons with Cognitive Disabilities who tend to wander.  Consider using GPS-enabled phones, bracelets and keychains with a proximity alert. This way when they wander, an app can inform his/her companions.  You can also opt to have them wear bright colored or distinguishing clothes.





Have a clear picture of your child on your phone or wallet.
Having a clear picture of your loved one will make it easier for you to look for them in case you need to.  We also suggest to have a printed copy which you can use in case your phone runs out of battery.




Document the trip with them.
Help them document what they experienced during their trip through drawings or video so you can go through it with them before your next trip.

Courtesy Curbside Pick-up and Drop Off points at selected airports

At NAIA Terminal 2, we have courtesy curbside pick-up and drop-off points for your added convenience.


Courtesy Check-in Lanes & Seats

Check-in through our Courtesy Check-in Lanes and enjoy courtesy seats at the pre-departure area.


Priority or Last Boarding

Please advise our boarding agents on your preferred boarding order so they can assist you accordingly.


Courtesy Baggage Retrieval Area at NAIA Terminals 1 and 2

Upon arriving at NAIA Terminals 1 and 2, look for the Courtesy Baggage Retrieval Area Floor Stickers which are placed around each baggage carousel.  We prepared this spot for you so you can easily wait for and retrieve your baggage.

We provide various types of wheelchair assistance depending on the need of your loved one. Our staff can provide assistance in moving around in the airport, in boarding or leaving the aircraft and in moving about inside the aircraft.


Wheelchair assistance at the airport

Our ground attendants equipped with Manual Wheelchairs, can assist your loved one :

in checking-in for the flight at our Special Assistance Courtesy Check-in Lanes and with their hand-carried baggage
in going through Immigration
in going to and from rest room entrances at the pre-departure area
in boarding the aircraft
in getting their baggage upon arrival (if assistance is also requested)
in bringing them to the curbside arrival pick-up points

If your loved one will need assistance while inside the airport, please advise us upon booking or at least 48 hours before your flight by visiting any PAL ticket office, or by calling our Reservations Hotline with the numbers above, or by submitting a Disability Assistance Form 



Assistance in Boarding the Aircraft

If your loved one will have a hard time going up the stairs to board the aircraft, we have passenger lifts available in the following airports: Manila NAIA Terminal 2, Cebu and Davao.  For other airports, our ground staff will gladly assist you in boarding the aircraft.


Please request for this type of assistance upon booking or at least 72 hours before your flight by visiting any PAL ticket office, or by calling our Reservations Hotline with the numbers above.


You will need to complete a PAL Medical Information Form (MEDIF) and submit it to any PAL ticket office at least 72 hours before your flight.    The information in the PAL MEDIF Form will guide our ground staff on how best to assist you and your loved one on the day of your flight.




Assistance inside the plane

We also have aisle or cabin wheelchairs which can fit through the aisles of our aircraft.  With these special wheelchairs, our staff can assist your loved one :

in getting to their assigned seat upon boarding the aircraft;
in going to and from the lavatory entrance during the flight; and
in getting from their seat to the aircraft door upon deplaning.

Please request for this type of assistance upon booking or at least 72 hours before your flight by visiting any PAL ticket office, or by calling our Reservations Hotline with the numbers above.


You will need to complete a PAL Medical Information Form (MEDIF) and submit it to any PAL ticket office at least 72 hours before your flight.    The information in the PAL MEDIF Form will guide our ground staff on how best to assist you and your loved one on the day of your flight.

PAL Medical Information Form (MEDIF)

Should you need assistance anytime during the flight, please feel free to call on our Cabin Crew who will gladly assist you with your needs.

We offer special meals that can suit the dietary needs of your loved one on our international flights.


Please advise us upon booking or at least 48 hours before your international flight by calling our Reservations Hotline numbers below or by visiting any PAL Ticket Office.


To view the list of meals we can provide, please check out our Special Meals Menu.  If your required meal is not on our list, please do call our Reservations Hotline and we will try our best to cater to their need.


If you are traveling on our Domestic flights, we encourage you to bring food that will cater to their dietary needs to ensure that they will have a comfortable flight.

We have special videos to help you and your loved ones prepare for your flight which you can enjoy from the comforts of your home or mobile device. 



Aircraft Cabin Walkthrough Videos

Take a quick tour inside our aircraft’s cabin through these videos :


A350 Cabin Walkthrough Video
A321 Neo Cabin Walkthrough Video


Aircraft Virtual Tours

Know our aircraft’s seat features through these virtual tour videos.




A350 Virtual Tour
B777 Virtual Tour
A330 Tri-Class Virtual Tour
A321neo Virtual Tour

Inflight Safety Videos

Review inflight safety guidelines through our Inflight Safety Video.