Content Summary
Utopia İzmir Transfer meets blind and visually impaired passengers by phone at the Izmir Airport terminal exit. The driver guides them to the vehicle and to the building entrance on arrival. Guide dogs and companions incur no extra charge.
If you are blind or visually impaired, you do not need to look for a name sign to find your transfer at Izmir Airport. When you mention it in your booking, your driver calls you after your flight lands, finds you at the terminal exit, guides you to the vehicle and walks with you to the building entrance at your destination. Fares are per vehicle; we charge nothing extra for a visual impairment, a guide dog or a companion.
Booking: you do not have to fill in a form
You can use the booking form, but you do not have to. Leaving a WhatsApp voice message or calling +90 542 691 07 97 is enough.
These details are all we need to plan your transfer:
- Your arrival date and flight number. If you have a connection, the number of the last flight that lands in Izmir.
- Your destination: the hotel name or full address.
- The number of passengers and pieces of luggage.
- Your sight: whether you are blind or partially sighted, and whether you use a white cane or a guide dog.
- Whether a companion is travelling with you.
- How you would like us to contact you: phone call, WhatsApp voice message or text message.
- Whether you have requested special assistance from your airline.
A confirmation your screen reader can read
Once your booking is final, we send the confirmation as plain text on WhatsApp. We do not send images, posters or PDFs. Screen readers read out the name of every emoji, so we leave emojis out.
The confirmation includes:
- Your driver’s name and direct phone number.
- The vehicle’s make, colour and number plate.
- The meeting plan.
- The confirmed fare and currency.
At the airport: your driver finds you
Assistance from the aircraft to the terminal exit is provided by the airline and the airport’s ground handling teams. Request it from your airline before you fly; airlines usually ask for at least 48 hours’ notice.
We usually meet passengers with a name sign. For blind and visually impaired passengers we turn this around: after your flight lands, your driver calls you and is the one who finds you. If you leave the terminal with the special assistance team, the driver also speaks to the staff member by phone to agree where to take over from them.
If you will not be able to take phone calls or use the internet in Turkey, tell us when booking and we will plan the meeting around that. For the general meeting steps, see our Izmir Airport meeting guide.
From the terminal to the vehicle, and during the ride
Your driver first introduces themselves by name and asks how you would like to be assisted. You decide how much help you want.
- Guiding: If you wish, the driver offers an arm for you to hold just above the elbow and walks half a step ahead of you.
- Describing the way: The driver tells you about kerbs, steps, ramps, doors and crowded spots before you reach them.
- Getting in: The driver guides your hand to the door frame and the seat to help you get in, and shows you where the seat belt is.
- Luggage: The driver loads your suitcases and tells you where each one goes. Any bag you want to keep with you stays with you.
- The ride: If you like, the driver tells you the route and the remaining time. You can ask for a break at any time.
Travelling with a guide dog
Your guide dog travels with you in the same vehicle at no extra charge. If you mention your dog when booking, we arrange a place in the vehicle where it can lie down. On longer journeys, such as to Çeşme or Didim, you can ask for a break for your dog.
Arrival and payment
When you reach your destination, your driver tells you where you are, walks with you to the building entrance or reception and hands over your luggage.
Utopia requires no prepayment; you pay the confirmed fare in cash at the end of the ride. Because banknotes can be hard to tell apart, your driver says the amount out loud and counts each note you hand over, and all the change, aloud. For the payment steps, see our pay-on-arrival guide.
Fares: no extra charge
Published fares are per vehicle. We charge nothing extra for a visual impairment, a guide dog or a companion; your companion travels with you in the same vehicle. You can find current fares on our prices page. We confirm the applicable fare before your booking is final.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to mention my visual impairment when booking?
Yes. Tell us about your sight, whether you are travelling with a guide dog or a companion and how you would like us to contact you, in writing or by voice message. We prepare your driver and the meeting plan accordingly.
I cannot see the name sign. How will I find my driver?
We do not expect you to find the sign. After your flight lands, your driver calls you, agrees with you where you are and finds you there. If you leave the terminal with your airline's special assistance team, the driver takes over from the staff member.
Do you help inside the terminal as well?
Assistance from the aircraft to the terminal exit is provided by the airline and the airport's ground handling teams. Request it from your airline before your flight. Our driver meets you at the terminal exit.
Can my guide dog ride in the vehicle?
Yes. Your guide dog travels with you in the same vehicle at no extra charge. Mention your dog when booking and we will arrange a place in the vehicle where it can lie down.
Do you charge visually impaired passengers extra?
No. Published fares are per vehicle; there is no extra charge for a visual impairment, a guide dog or a companion. We confirm the applicable fare before your booking is final.
How do I pay?
There is no prepayment. You pay the confirmed fare in cash at the end of the ride. Your driver says the amount out loud and counts each banknote you hand over, and all the change, aloud.
Visually impaired passengers
Book your transfer by voice message
Send us your flight, destination and how you would like us to contact you on WhatsApp, in writing or as a voice message. Our team will confirm the meeting plan and fare before you travel.
