Orly (ORY) wheelchair accessibility

Since the 2019 reorganisation, Orly is a single connected building with four piers numbered Orly 1, 2, 3, and 4. Orly 1 and Orly 2 occupy the western side (the old "Orly Ouest" building); Orly 3 is the connecting hall with the main shops and the kerbside drop-off; Orly 4 is on the eastern side (the old "Orly Sud" building).

Air France Domestique and Transavia France use Orly 2 and Orly 3. Vueling, easyJet, Iberia, ITA Airways, Aer Lingus, and most other European carriers use Orly 1 and Orly 4. Long-haul flights to the French overseas territories, North Africa, and the Caribbean leave from Orly 4. Confirm your specific gate on the departure board, since pier assignment can change.

Inside security, the four piers are connected by a continuous walkway. Wheelchair users can move between piers at the airside level without leaving secure zones; PRM staff escort you on assisted transfers. The total walking distance between Orly 1 and Orly 4 at gate level is around 800 metres on level floor.

Book PRM assistance through your airline when you make the reservation, then again at check-in. The 48-hour pre-booking deadline is in the EU regulation; missing it does not legally block you from getting assistance, but it does mean the ground-handler cannot guarantee staffing on arrival or at the gate.

Specify the level of assistance you need using the IATA codes: WCHR (can climb stairs, needs wheelchair to and from aircraft), WCHS (cannot climb stairs, needs wheelchair through the terminal and aisle chair to seat), or WCHC (cannot self-mobilise, needs full transfer to and from seat). The airline relays the code; the ground-handler arranges the right equipment.

If you are travelling with your own wheelchair, declare it as mobility equipment at booking. It travels free under EC 1107/2006 in addition to your standard baggage allowance. Declare battery type for power chairs (lithium-ion, lithium polymer, or lead-acid) so the airline can confirm dangerous-goods handling.

Disembark first or last (the airline will tell you which). A PRM staff member meets you at the aircraft door with the equipment you booked. They escort you through immigration where applicable, to baggage reclaim, and to your onward transport: Line 14 station, tram stop, taxi rank, or the kerbside drop-off.

If your assistance does not arrive within 10 to 15 minutes of disembarkation, ask cabin crew to call the Saphir desk. If you are already in the terminal and the escort has not appeared, find the nearest Saphir freephone (signed throughout) and request the assistance referenced by your booking number.

Plan an extra 20 to 40 minutes for the assisted route compared with the standard arrivals walk. Orly is smaller and quicker than CDG on average, but the morning bank of European arrivals (08:00 to 10:00) is the busiest period and PRM staff can be stretched.

Identify yourself at a Saphir reception point as early as possible after arrival at the airport. Each pier kerbside has a desk near the priority counters and another at the kerbside drop-off itself. Staff escort you through check-in, security, and passport control where applicable, with priority queues at each step.

At the gate, your wheelchair is tagged and either gate-checked (loaded into the hold) or stored in the cabin if it folds and the airline has space. You transfer to the airline's onboard chair or are wheeled to the seat in your own chair, depending on aircraft type and your booked code (WCHR / WCHS / WCHC).

Allow at least 2.5 hours before a long-haul flight from Orly 4 and 2 hours before a short-haul European flight, on top of the airline's standard recommendation. The escort process adds queue time even with priority access.

Accessible toilets are signed throughout the terminal, before and after security, in every pier. The standard layout follows French regulations: door clear width 90 cm, grab bars, transfer space, and an emergency call cord. Toilet locations are mapped on the airport's internal screens and on the Paris Aéroport mobile app.

Free wheelchair loans are available at every Saphir desk. Stock includes manual airport wheelchairs and folding chairs; power chairs are not loaned. Request the loan when you book PRM through your airline, or walk up to the Saphir desk on the day.

Pet relief areas (signed "Pet Relief Area" or "Espace Animaux") for service and assistance dogs are at the kerbside drop-off and inside the terminal after security in Orly 1, 2, and 4. The areas have grass surfaces, water bowls, and waste-disposal bags.

Line 14 is the fastest and most reliable accessible route from Orly to central Paris. The terminus station is Aéroport d'Orly, signed from the kerbside concourse and reachable step-free via the lift cluster on level -2. Trains run every 2 to 4 minutes from around 05:30 to 01:15 (slightly later on Friday and Saturday).

Stops on the way to central Paris include Pont de Rungis, Maison Blanche, Bibliothèque François Mitterrand, Olympiades, Gare de Lyon, Châtelet, Pyramides (the Louvre), Madeleine, Saint-Lazare, and on to Saint-Denis Pleyel. The whole line is step-free with platform screen doors at every station, no platform-train gap, and lifts to street level at every stop.

Standard Paris zonal fares apply to Line 14 from Orly. Buy at the staffed station booth or at the touch-screen vending machines (which have low-mounted accessible terminals). The Navigo Easy contactless card is valid; tickets are also valid on connecting bus and tram services.

Tram T7 is a step-free option south of the city. It runs from Orly to Villejuif-Louis Aragon (Line 7 metro), via the southern suburbs. The tram is fully low-floor with level boarding. From Villejuif-Louis Aragon, change to Line 7 for the metro into central Paris. Note that Line 7 has limited step-free coverage; confirm your destination station has lifts.

Orlyval is the airport's automated people-mover, connecting Orly to the RER B station at Antony. It is step-free with platform screen doors. From Antony, RER B trains run to Denfert-Rochereau, Saint-Michel-Notre-Dame, and Châtelet-les-Halles. Mind the platform-train gap at the destination station; board with the assistance team's portable ramp where needed.

The official airport taxi rank is outside the arrivals hall at the kerbside concourse. Fixed-rate fares apply to central Paris: around 35 EUR to the Left Bank, 40 EUR to the Right Bank, both quoted before tip. The fixed rate covers up to four passengers and standard luggage; surcharges may apply for additional luggage or oversized mobility equipment.

Walk-up accessible taxis (rear-loading or side-loading wheelchair-accessible vans) are not always at the rank. Pre-book G7 Access (08 26 63 00 03) or Taxis Bleus (08 91 70 10 10) at least 24 hours ahead, or longer for early-morning weekend arrivals. The driver meets you at the standard taxi rank or at the Saphir desk if you arrange that with the dispatcher.

A pre-booked PMR transfer through Groupe ADP's contracted operator is the alternative. It is door-to-door (terminal to your hotel), uses an accessible van, and is bookable through the airport's accessibility page or on the day at the Saphir desk. Pricing is set by the operator; budget around 70 to 90 EUR to central Paris.

Service dogs travel free in the cabin on every airline serving Orly, in compliance with EC 1107/2006. Bring the EU pet passport or third-country annex IV documentation, the rabies vaccination certificate, and the airline's own service-animal form. The dog stays at your feet during the flight; on arrival, the pet relief areas are signed from the gates.

Your wheelchair travels free as mobility equipment in addition to your standard baggage. Manual chairs go in the hold; folding power chairs may be cabin-loaded if the cabin space allows. Lithium-ion and lithium polymer batteries up to 300 Wh are accepted on most carriers; declare the battery type at booking and again at check-in. Lead-acid batteries (older power chairs) require dangerous-goods packaging and should be declared 72 hours ahead.

Save the Saphir freephone number on your phone before you travel. The number is published on the Paris Aéroport accessibility microsite and is the fastest line to the airport's PRM service if your airline-arranged escort fails to materialise.

Take a photo of your wheelchair at the gate before it is loaded. If anything is damaged in transit (the airline is liable under EC 1107/2006), the photo is your evidence. File a damage report at the Saphir desk on arrival before you leave the airport.

Use Line 14 by default for any trip into central Paris. The other accessible routes (Tram T7, Orlyval / RER B) work, but Line 14 is the only end-to-end step-free option that drops you in the spine of the central tourist area without a change.