Wheelchairs at Copenhagen Airport
Denmark's Major Airport is an Accessible Star Alliance Hub for SAS
One of the most pleasant airports anywhere, Denmark's Copenhagen Kastrup Airport features an open, welcoming design with easy access for those with limited mobility.
SAS, Scandinavian Airlines International, is a leading airline connecting North America and Europe via Scandinavia. Many SAS and other airlines' flights pass through Copenhagen's Kastrup Airport (code CPH). This airport is pleasant, well-designed and accessible.
Service is Available in English
Many people in Denmark speak English. It is very easy to travel via Copenhagen without knowing any Danish. For those spending a day or more in Denmark, a Danish-English phrasebook is useful, but not essential.
Danish Modern Design Gives Easy Access
The clean, stylish principles of Danish design fit well with accessible design. Copenhagen Airport has an open and straightforward feeling. The shopping area has a very high ceiling, wooden flooring, and a lot of space to move around in.
At the departure and arrival gates, it is very obvious where to go and how to get there. Upon arriving at the airport, it is easy to board a train for Copenhagen without going outside.
Travelling with a Wheelchair Through Copenhagen Kastrup Airport
Passengers with special needs, including travelling with oxygen or with a wheelchair, are advised to book their reservation by phone rather than by internet. This advice comes from SAS, but would be wise to follow for any airline. The Copenhagen Airport has good ground facilities, but the in-air services are the responsibility of the airline. Passengers should talk directly to their airline to make sure all arrangements are in order.
Electric wheelchairs sent as cargo must be checked in at least four hours before departure. According to the airport's website, an electric wheelchair may be taken as overweight baggage, but this is more expensive than by cargo. It is necessary to make sure the airline can accommodate the particular chair on the specific flight in question, whether by cargo or as overweight baggage. This should be discussed and agreed upon at the time of making the reservation by phone. SAS says that wheelchairs with spillable batteries must fly as cargo, so for this type of chair there is no choice.
Non-electric collapsible wheelchairs may be used all the way to the airplane gate, folded and placed on the plane. Assistance with boarding and deplaning is available from the airline. The airport also allows a passenger to have a relative escort them to the gate, provided the escort brings photo ID to the service information desk in Terminal 3, and obtains a gate pass. For international flights, the escort must also show a valid passport.
Locating Wheelchair-Accessible and Other Toilets in Copenhagen Kastrup Airport
The airport's website has a map showing a number of wheelchair-accessible toilets in the terminal. The map is rather small and hard to read on the computer screen, but in real life the toilets are easy to find, particularly in the main shopping and eating area.
Virtual Tour
On the website for the airport there is a virtual tour. This too has small print and is not as easy to use as it should be. One way to see it is to click on one of the three tours offered
- Departure and Arrivals Tour
- Art, Architecture and Design Tour
- Shopping Tour.
There is a map below the video screen, although in testing the virtual tour and the map on a home computer, the map did not seem to work as interactively with the virtual tour as perhaps was intended. This may be a function of the computer, of course, but it is something other users may experience. The benefit of the virtual tour is that it shows the airy, open airport as it appears in real life.
Overall, Copenhagen Airport at Kastrup is comfortable, convenient, and easy to reach by train. For travellers arriving or leaving by car, there are disabled parking spots available.
