What Is PRM? A Guide For Disabled Travellers

If you’ve booked a flight, cruise or train journey, you may have come across the letters PRM and wondered what is PRM? Airlines, airports and transport providers use this abbreviation regularly, but it isn’t always explained clearly.

Understanding what PRM means can make travelling much easier, especially if you or someone in your family has a disability, medical condition or reduced mobility.

In this guide, we’ll explain what PRM means, who qualifies, what assistance is available and how to request it before you travel.

Quick Wins For PRM Travel

• PRM stands for Person with Reduced Mobility.
• PRM includes both visible and hidden disabilities, not just wheelchair users.
• Temporary injuries, long-term health conditions and age-related mobility issues may also qualify.
• PRM assistance is usually free at airports, train stations and ferry terminals.
• You should request assistance at least 48 hours before you travel where possible.
• Support can include help through the airport, early boarding, wheelchair assistance and guidance through security.
• You do not usually need to provide proof of your disability, simply explain the support you need.
• PRM assistance is available for many autistic travellers and people with other non-visible disabilities who need extra support during their journey.

What Does PRM Mean?

PRM stands for Person with Reduced Mobility.

It is an internationally recognised term used throughout the travel industry to describe passengers who need assistance because of a disability, reduced mobility, sensory impairment or another condition that affects their ability to travel independently. To learn more about the types of assistance available for disabled travellers, my post about airport special assistance is a good place to begin.

Despite the name, PRM does not only refer to people who use wheelchairs. It covers a much wider range of travellers and is often used to describe the special assistance services that you find in airports. For example, you may find that PRM at the airport is used to describe people with reduced mobility, people with any type of difficulty which means they need help at the airport, the services provided to disabled travellers and more. What I am trying to highlight is that you will often find that what PRM means exactly can vary depending on where you see it, but it will always have something to do with disabled travellers and they support services they need to travel.

You may be considered a PRM if you have:

• A physical disability
• Limited mobility due to age
• A temporary injury such as a broken leg
• A visual impairment
• A hearing impairment
• An intellectual disability
• Autism
• A learning disability
• ADHD (if it significantly affects independent travel)
• Dementia
• A neurological condition
• A chronic illness that affects mobility or endurance
• Hidden disabilities that mean you require additional assistance

The key point is that you need support to travel safely or comfortably.

If you are travelling with a disability, I have many guides to help you plan your adventures: travelling with a disability, travelling with fibromyalgia, travelling with autism, travelling with ADHD and travelling with reduced mobility.

Does PRM Mean You Are Disabled?

Not necessarily.

Many PRMs are disabled, but you do not need to identify as disabled to receive PRM assistance.

For example, someone recovering from surgery, using crutches for a few weeks or struggling to walk long distances because of a temporary injury may qualify. When I broke my foot in Thailand my doctor wrote me a travel letter for the airline and airport to provide me assistance getting through the airport and onto the plane. I was escorted through the airport in Bangkok and Addis Ababa by wheelchair and was given help to board the plane safely.

Likewise, many people with hidden disabilities qualify even though they have no visible mobility difficulties.

Why Do Airports Use The Term PRM?

The aviation industry uses the term because it covers a wide range of passengers who need assistance without focusing on a specific diagnosis. Airports actually use a lot of different codes, and I have a guide which explains the different codes airports use and what they are for.

Instead of asking whether someone is disabled, airports simply ask what support is required. They then apply one of the globally recognised four-letter disability codes that relates best to the passenger who requires the travel assistance and this helps the staff in the airport and on the plane recognise what help is likely needed without having to ask.

This allows assistance providers to arrange the right equipment and staff before you arrive.

What Assistance Can PRM Passengers Receive?

The exact assistance varies depending on the airport, airline or transport provider, but it may include:

• Help getting from the car park, train station or drop-off point
• Assistance through check-in
• Help with baggage (within assistance guidelines)
• Fast-track through security where available
• Escort through passport control
• Help reaching departure gates
• Early boarding
• Assistance transferring onto the aircraft
• Use of an aisle wheelchair
• Help collecting baggage after landing
• Escort through arrivals
• Assistance to onward transport

Many airports also provide:

• Accessible toilets
• Changing Places facilities
• Quiet rooms or sensory rooms
• Hearing loops
• Sunflower-friendly services
• Buggies for passengers unable to walk long distances

I have been working on guides for each of the airports I have flown from or into which cover the special assistance services there and the disabled facilities available. I have been adding them into a list of airport assistance guides so you can find all of the guides in one place.

What Is PRM Travel Assistance?

PRM travel assistance is the free support provided by airports, airlines, ferry operators and train companies to passengers who need help travelling.

In the UK, Europe and many other countries, this assistance is provided free of charge.

You should never be charged simply because you need disability assistance.

Who Can Request PRM Travel Assistance?

You can request assistance if you have difficulty with any part of your journey because of:

• Walking long distances
• Standing for long periods
• Climbing stairs
• Balance problems
• Fatigue
• Chronic pain
• Breathlessness
• Visual impairment
• Hearing impairment
• Cognitive disabilities
• Autism
• Learning disabilities
• Neurological conditions
• Medical equipment you need to travel with

You do not usually need to provide proof of your disability.

Instead, you explain what assistance you require. It is best to ask for PRM travel assistance by contacting your airline directly or selecting special assistance during the booking process.

How Do You Book PRM Assistance?

Most airlines allow you to request assistance when booking your flight.

If you have already booked, you can usually add assistance afterwards by contacting the airline or your travel agent. As a backup you can also use the PRM Assist app to make a PRM assistance booking.

Ideally, assistance should be requested at least 48 hours before departure, although earlier is always better. This gives the assistance service provider plenty of time to arrange all of the help you need.

When booking, you may be asked questions such as:

• Can you walk through the airport independently?
• Can you climb aircraft stairs?
• Do you use your own wheelchair?
• Will you be travelling with mobility equipment?
• Do you need assistance because of a hidden disability?
• Will you be travelling with a service dog?

Answering these accurately helps ensure the correct assistance is arranged.

Is PRM The Same As Airport Special Assistance?

Yes.

Different organisations use different terminology.

You may hear the following terms, but they all refer to the same thing:

• PRM assistance
• Airport assistance
• Special assistance
• Passenger assistance
• Mobility assistance
• SSR
• Special service request
• Disability assistance
• PRM travel assistance

These generally refer to the same service.

Is PRM Only Used At Airports?

No. The term is widely used and recognised by many different bodies in the travel industry and you will likely notice it in many places.

PRM is also used by:

• Cruise lines
• Ferry operators
• Train companies
• Metro systems
• Coaches
• Some tourist attractions

The type of assistance offered varies between transport providers.

PRM And Wheelchair Assistance

Many people assume PRM automatically means wheelchair assistance, but that isn’t true.

Some PRM passengers need a wheelchair throughout the airport.

Others only need help with long walking distances.

Some simply require guidance because they are visually impaired or have a cognitive disability.

This is why airports use different assistance categories to describe the type of help required.

You may have heard terms such as:

• WCHR
• WCHS
• WCHC

These are wheelchair assistance codes that tell staff what level of mobility support is needed. To learn the different airport disability codes and what they stand for, head to my airport and airline disability codes guide.

PRM For Hidden Disabilities

Many PRM passengers have disabilities that are not immediately obvious.

These include:

• Autism
• ADHD
• Dementia
• Epilepsy
• PTSD
• Anxiety disorders
• Learning disabilities
• Brain injuries
• Chronic pain conditions
• Chronic fatigue conditions

Depending on your needs, you may benefit from:

• A quieter route through the airport
• Additional time during screening
• Clear communication
• Boarding before other passengers
• Assistance navigating the terminal
• Extra support if you become overwhelmed

Many airports also participate in hidden disability schemes, including the Sunflower Lanyard programme. If you are new to the Sunflower Lanyard scheme, my Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard guide explains what it is and how you can get your own Sunflower Lanyard.

Many people with a hidden disability use the DPNA disability code on their travel booking. My guide breaks down what the DPNA code is, who can use it and how to have it added to your booking.

Your Rights As A PRM Passenger

In many countries, transport providers are legally required to provide assistance to PRM passengers.

For flights within the UK and Europe, or flights operated under applicable regulations, airports and airlines must provide assistance free of charge when requested within the required notice period.

Airlines cannot refuse carriage simply because someone is disabled, except in very limited situations relating to genuine safety requirements or aircraft limitations.

Tips For Travelling As A PRM At The Airport

To help your journey run smoothly:

• Book assistance as early as possible.
• Arrive at the airport early, with enough time to meet the assistance team.
• Carry any medication in your hand luggage.
• Bring copies of medical documentation if travelling with specialist equipment.
• Label mobility equipment clearly.
• Check battery rules before flying with powered wheelchairs or mobility scooters.
• Contact your airline if your needs change before departure.

If you plan to travel with medication, it is helpful to carry a doctors letter and I have a guide that breaks down exactly what to include on your medication travel letter.

What Is PRM FAQ

PRM is simply an industry term for travellers who need additional support to complete their journey safely and comfortably. It includes far more than wheelchair users and covers a wide range of visible and hidden disabilities, temporary injuries and medical conditions.

If you think you would benefit from extra help, don’t hesitate to request PRM travel assistance when you book. The service is there to make travel more accessible and less stressful, helping you focus on enjoying your trip rather than worrying about the journey itself.

Continue Planning Your Next Accessible Trip

• Find out about the help available if you are travelling through an airport
• Find out how to make travelling with ADHD manageable
• Learn more about the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Lanyard
• Check out guides to all of the different destinations we have travelled to with autistic children
• Learn step-by-step how to set up the accessibility feature on Google maps 
• Learn more about our favourite sensory toys for travelling
• Discover an app that helps you locate a playground anywhere in the world
• Always alerted last minute that the little one needs a toilet? Find a toilet anywhere with this app

Continue Planning Your Accessible Trip With My Guides

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