Based in Woking, England, Airchair produces onboard wheelchairs for air travel and is introducing the Airchair II at the 2025 AIX in Hamburg, Germany. The Airchair II complies with the latest ACAA regulations and weighs 6.8kg (15lb).
“Accessibility is a major topic,” says Sarah McOnie, Business Development Director at Airchair. “I joined the business six, seven years ago, and accessibility wasn’t really a thing…at that stage, the airlines saw our product, an onboard wheelchair, as a compliant product – like a fire extinguisher.”
She explains that the work that the disabled community has been doing to make air travel more accessible, particularly for those in wheelchairs, has highlighted the importance of having an onboard wheelchair. Airlines can get negative publicity through social media and news stories if a passenger is unable to use the lavatory during a flight or struggles along an aisle.
“I would say in the last couple of years, the topic around onboard wheelchairs has taken a 180-degree turn. Now it’s a very positive conversation with the airlines looking at how they can offer the best experience for all of their passengers, including disabled passengers. They’re coming to us and saying, ‘we’re really interested in your product’,” explains McOnie.
The standard model was developed in 2007. It weighs six kilograms (13lbs) and can take weights of up to 250kg (c. 550lbs), which allows for the suddenly applied load of a male weighing between 100kg and 120kg dropping into the seat. Meeting DPTAC standards, the Airchair has casters that swivel 360 degrees for manoeuvrability, a folding footrest, folding backrest and folding side restraints.
Over 2,000 Airchair units are aboard aircraft, on well over 100 airlines.
“Servicing and maintenance is minimal, so there’s no ongoing costs,” adds McOnie. “Because they’re so sturdy, they really don’t break unless they used where they shouldn’t be, like off the aircraft. These are designed to stay on the aircraft at all times.”
“There’s a new Department of Transport regulation in America that is due to come into force from October 2026. It has specific requirements for an onboard wheelchair, so we looked at our standard model and realised we needed to make some amendments to it to meet the standard. That’s how we’ve come up with Airchair II,” explains Airchair’s Business Development Director.
The Airchair II features a footplate rather than the footrest, a safety lock, back casters that rotate but can lock in the direction of travel and visible usage instructions on the back of the wheelchair.
The original Airchair and Airchair II are being showcased at the 2025 AIX in Hall 5 of the Hamburg Messe, at stand A65.
