Age is no barrier to the joy of flying

When you book your flight you can reserve a seat that is easy to get to and therefore more suitable for the needs of older passengers. There is also the option of paying to reserve a seat with extra legroom.

Having a suitable seat on the aircraft and sufficient time at the airport – this certainty is reassuring and helps to make the start of the journey more relaxed. That is why, for older travellers especially, we recommend reserving a seat in advance in good time and checking in the night before.

Lufthansa also enables passengers who are wheelchair users to enjoy travel that is as stress-free and comfortable as possible. A free service ensures they are accompanied on all routes to and from the aircraft. In addition, at Frankfurt and Munich airports there are separate special needs counters and a special care lounge available. This service should be booked up to 48 hours before departure – through a travel agency or by calling the Lufthansa Service Center.

Further information for passengers who use wheelchairs

If you are unfamiliar with how the airport check-in machines work, Lufthansa is there to help: at Frankfurt, Munich and many other airports worldwide Lufthansa always has staff by the machines to assist when required.

At busy places such as airports you need to be able to find your way around. At Frankfurt and Munich airports, Lufthansa Guides can offer welcome assistance. They can collect passengers from an agreed meeting point, accompany them to the right gates and offer support for boarding a flight or changing planes. There is a charge for the exclusive Lufthansa Guide Service. It can be booked through the Lufthansa Service Center.

For many older people, a special diet is important. On Lufthansa flights they can be served a special meal. From food suitable for diabetics and reduced-calorie meals through to dishes low in cholesterol or sodium – the desired meal can be ordered up to 24 hours before departure. The only requirement is that the flight time is more than 185 minutes for Economy Class passengers and 75 minutes for Business Class passengers. Special meals can be ordered through a travel agency, by calling the Lufthansa Service Center or online under ‘My Bookings’.

Passengers who, in their advancing years, are looking for a certain level of personal attention and comfort are extremely well looked after in Lufthansa Business Class or First Class. Here, among other benefits, they will enjoy excellent meals prepared by top chefs and extremely comfortable seats which turn into two-metre-long, fully flat beds.

On board there is always a fully equipped doctor’s bag and the cabin crew receive special training to deal with medical emergencies. In addition, our ‘Doctor on Board’ programme offers further security: this programme enables cabin crew to know whether a registered doctor, who can be called on to assist, is on the flight.

On the ground, the Medical Operation Centre is at passengers’ disposal. The Centre’s staff can answer any questions passengers have about health and travel and can issue ‘Fitness to Fly’ certificates should these be required. The Centre can be contacted on tel.: +49 (0)69 696 55079 (Monday to Friday: 08.30 to 20.00 hours; Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays: 08.30 to 16.30 hours).

The Medical Operation Centre is also the contact for passengers who require an extra oxygen supply on board. They can receive extra oxygen using the Wenoll system, thus avoiding the need to bring their own oxygen supply with them. The costs are 150 euros on Europe flights and 300 euros on worldwide flights. This service can also be reserved via a travel agency.

If older travellers require a doctor abroad, Lufthansa is also happy to help – with our selected contract doctors who also look after Lufthansa crews and airport staff. These doctors usually speak German and English. A list of the doctors is available on our website under ‘A healthy journey’.