Berlin Airport Accessible Services

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The Accessible Services at BER Airport

Berlin Brandenburg Airport is an accessible air hub, aiming to provide top-quality services to all its passengers. To that end, dedicated services and amenities are available for travelers with both visible and hidden disabilities, ensuring they enjoy a smooth and pleasant experience before and after their flight to BER Airport. Fully complying with Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006, the airport offers the Mobility Service, providing full assistance from arrival at the airport to boarding, or from disembarking to exiting BER terminals. Additionally, BER Sunflower is available for travelers with invisible disabilities.

Our Tip: Should you feel or witness a violation of Regulation (EC) No 1107/2006, you can use the airport’s contact form to file a complaint. If the airport does not respond adequately, you may also contact the LBA (Federal Aviation Authority), the official body responsible for enforcing the Regulation in Germany. Please note that the airline is responsible for loss or damage of mobility equipment.

The Mobility Service

The Mobility Service is the dedicated service provided by BER Airport to guarantee a pleasant airport experience for passengers with mobility issues or other forms of disabilities. The service is offered free of charge and boasts impressive response times, especially when passengers register in advance. Indeed, 80% of passengers with disabilities wait no longer than 10 minutes to be served, while 90% wait less than 20 minutes, and in all cases, 100% of served passengers wait less than half an hour. Therefore, the airport fully meets the required quality standards.

Book the Service In Advance

The most important step to fully benefit from the Mobility Service is to book in advance. Inform your airline or travel agent of your disability during the booking process to register for the service and receive assistance throughout all airport procedures. To ensure the best-quality service, you must register at least 48 hours before your departure or arrival at Berlin Airport. The later you register, the lower the quality of service and the longer the waiting times. Moreover, you must indicate your degree of disability during registration, based on the international codes for disabilities and impairments.

What to Do Once You Get to the Airport

Once you reach Berlin Airport, you must go to one of the following points. To begin with, there are call boxes right outside the two terminal buildings, where you can contact the Mobility Service and notify them of your arrival. Alternatively, you can proceed to one of the three Mobility Service points:

• Terminal 1: Check-in area 1-8 on the right of BER Runway, Level 1 (Landside) – Open from 04:00 am to 11:00 pm
• Terminal 1: Departures, Market Place near the Information Desk, Level 1 (Airside) – Open from 06:00 am to 10:30 pm
• Terminal 2: Check-in area, Level 0 (Landside) – Open from 04:00 am to 09:30 pm

The last option is to go directly to one of the check-in desks and inform the airport staff of your arrival.

Haven’t you registered for the Mobility Service? You can proceed to one of the points listed above and request assistance. However, registration on the spot may result in long wait times and a lower quality of service. Still, the airport staff will try to meet your needs as effectively as possible.

The Services Provided

Are you departing from BER Airport and have registered for the Mobility Service? You’ll be escorted through all departure procedures, from check-in and bag-drop to security screening (through a separate screening booth), passport control, as well as boarding control (via accessible, barrier-free points). Additionally, airport staff will help you navigate the terminal’s dining and shopping facilities. On the other hand, if you’re arriving at Berlin Brandenburg Airport, you’ll be guided through all procedures, from disembarking the plane to baggage reclaim, border control, and customs clearance.

Make sure to register in advance for the Mobility Service. This is especially important if you are landing at terminal 2, as you may need to climb stairs and cover long distances. The taxi ranks, bus stops, and the BER railway station are all located at terminal 1, about a 5-minute walk from T2.

Our Tip: You’ll be entitled to receive help onboard as well, provided by the airline’s staff when necessary. However, the cabin crew isn’t responsible for offering personal care (for example, assistance with using the toilet or feeding). In such cases, the passenger must travel with an accompanying person.

Traveling with a Wheelchair

Overall, passengers with mobility issues who travel with battery-powered wheelchairs are advised to drop off their wheelchairs at the bulky-luggage check-in counters during the check-in process. The airport offers free use of wheelchairs up to the boarding gate. Thus, you can borrow one of the wheelchairs available around the clock at 21 points throughout all levels of T1. Naturally, they are subject to availability and must be returned to designated stations. In any case, you should check your airline’s regulations on permitted wheelchair dimensions (does your wheelchair fit through the aircraft door?) and on the transport rules for manual and battery-powered mobility equipment, keeping in mind that wheelchairs must also comply with international dangerous-goods regulations. It’s also important to remember that you can check in up to two mobility aids or pieces of mobility equipment, including wheelchairs, free of charge. However, you should inform the airline during the booking process.

Other Available Services

Besides the Mobility Service, Berlin International Airport has installed tactile guidance systems in front of both terminals and throughout T1 and T2’s premises to help passengers with visual disabilities navigate the terminals. Moreover, induction loops are available to improve the experience of travelers with hearing impairments. Finally, guide and assistance dogs are fully welcome at the airport as well as onboard, provided they accompany the passenger with a disability at all times. That being said, emotional support dogs aren’t included in this category. Therefore, you must check your airline’s policy on traveling with pets and be prepared to potentially pay an extra fee. Moreover, it is recommended to check your destination country’s regulations on animal entry, as health certificates or other requirements may be required.

Arriving at the Airport: Accessible Parking Facilities

All parking facilities at BER Airport offer designated areas for travelers with disabilities. These parking zones are typically the closest to the entrances and exits of the parking lots, facilitating the passengers’ transfer to and from the terminal buildings. In detail, passengers with special needs can use one of the following parking facilities:

• 12 parking spots on the Departures level of T1 (E1)
• 6 parking spaces on the driveway linking T1 and T2, on the Arrivals level (E0)
• 75 accessible parking spots at Car Park P1
• 105 accessible parking spaces at Car Park P3
• 129 accessible parking spots at Car Park P7
• 106 accessible parking spaces at Car Park P8

Terminal 2 doesn’t have a designated pick-up and drop-off area. Still, it is located close to T1, within a short walking distance.

Passengers with reduced mobility who hold a pass with a G, aG, B, or BL note and an orange or blue permit (CH/EU) are entitled to use the parking facilities free of charge for one hour. After that time, they pay 50%-discounted fares based on the car park’s price list. However, keep in mind that the discount doesn’t apply to already-discounted online parking rates.

To benefit from the lower fares, you’ll need to press the call button at the pay station before paying the fees. Subsequently, you must present your pass and permit to the airport staff. On the other hand, if you’re driving a car accompanying a person with disabilities who meets the above criteria, you must inform the parking lot staff upon arrival and press the call button at the pay station to pay the reduced fares. In general, drivers holding a blue or orange permit are advised to place it on the vehicle’s windscreen so it is clearly visible.

Our Tip: If you’re arriving at BER Airport by train or plan to depart via train, keep in mind that the railway station, located on the underground level (U2) of terminal 1, is fully accessible, and the trains are barrier-free as well. If you need additional assistance to board or alight, you should contact Deutsche Bahn’s Mobility Service.

The BER Sunflower Service

Berlin Brandenburg Airport is the first German airport to adopt the BER Sunflower Service. The concept is simple but significantly improves the experience for passengers with hidden disabilities (physical, psychological, or neurological challenges), such as autism, dementia, cognitive difficulties, ADHD, and certain visual or hearing impairments. The Sunflower lanyard has become an international symbol of hidden disabilities, signaling to airport staff that the passenger may need assistance during airport procedures. That being said, it isn’t obligatory for travelers with such conditions to receive or wear the lanyard, nor are they required to wear it at all times. They can use it only when they want extra assistance. Even companions of passengers with hidden disabilities can request a Sunflower lanyard, as airport staff don’t ask questions or verify the disability when handing over the lanyard.

The Sunflower lanyard can be requested from T1’s information desks, located landside at Arrivals level (E0) and airside at the Market Place (Level 1). Additionally, the Sunflower cords are available at the three Mobility Service points, situated landside at T1’s check-in area 1-8, and airside at Market Place, as well as at the check-in area of T2, in its pre-security zone.

Our Tip: The Sunflower lanyard is a recognized symbol at many airports and among many airlines. Thus, if you wear it during your flight, you may also receive extra assistance from the airline crew or when disembarking at your destination airport. Similarly, if you wear a Sunflower lanyard received from another airport, you will also be assisted during your time at Berlin Airport.

FAQs

How to get a Sunflower lanyard at the airport?

Passengers with hidden disabilities, such as dementia, autism, or ADHD, can request a Sunflower lanyard to indicate their need for extra assistance through the two information desks located landside at the Ground level of Terminal 1 and airside at the Market Place (Level 1), respectively, or they can proceed to one of the Mobility Service points. There is a Mobility Service desk in the pre-security area of T1 (check-in area 1–8) and at the check-in zone of T2, as well as airside at T1’s Market Place.

Does Ryanair recognise the Sunflower lanyard?

Ryanair is one of the airlines recognising the Sunflower lanyard. Thus, passengers wearing the Sunflower cord can receive extra assistance onboard, at least when needed. The Ryanair crew is reported to be always on hand to assist passengers with hidden disabilities and make their travel experience smoother.