FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 18, 2024
Contact: Jess Davidson, jdavidson@aapd.com
WASHINGTON – This week, the Department of Transportation announced the finalization of its regulation to address safety and accessibility for disabled air passengers. The new rule marks major progress on a critical safety issue for the disability community, made possible by decades of advocacy by disabled people. AAPD is proud to have been part of those efforts, submitting comments to the Department of Transportation co-authored with our partners at Hand-In-Hand that included stories from the disability community, holding press conferences with our partners at United Spinal, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), and the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) about the need for strong training programs for airport workers who assist disabled passengers and greater dignity for air travelers with disabilities. We also joined numerous letters led by Paralyzed Veterans of America and their disability coalition focused on advancing the Air Carrier Access Act.
This historic regulation sets new standards for assistance, mandates hands-on training for airline employees and contractors who assist passengers with disabilities and handle mobility equipment, and specifies actions that airlines must take to protect passengers when mobility equipment is damaged or delayed. It also requires that airlines notify disabled passengers of the status of their equipment as it moves through standard, and provides them with information about their rights in the case of damage or destruction of a wheelchair or scooter.
“Air travel has long posed a substantial safety risk to disabled people’s independence, safety, and economic stability,” said Maria Town, AAPD President and CEO. “I applaud and am grateful for the leadership of the Department of Transportation and Secretary Buttigieg and Kelly Buckland, former AAPD Board Member and current Department of Transportation Disability Policy Adviser Disabi for their leadership in addressing this public health and safety issue that has caused expense, injury, and even death for disabled people for far too long. For wheelchair and scooter users, like myself, our mobility equipment is our freedom and independence, which is why an estimated 1 in 10 disabled people do not fly because of fear of damage to their equipment.”
Town continued, “For many, air travel may be necessary to participate in their dream job, to be present at a loved one’s hospital bedside, to attend family and friends’ weddings, graduations, and funerals, or simply to enjoy the experience of exploring new places. No one should be forced to make the decision between these life experiences and momentous occasions, and their independence.”
“Yet, far too many disabled people are forced to make such choices every day. Those who choose to travel do so with the very real possibility of injury, destruction, or even death hanging over them. Those who understandably choose to preserve their independence and safety do so feeling the acute pain of missing out because of lack of accommodation. These new requirements are a long-awaited improvement to ensure that people with disabilities can fly with less fear,” Town concluded.
The regulation establishes rights for disabled passengers and requirements for airlines, including:
- Requiring airlines to ensure disabled travelers’ safety, and that disabled passengers are treated with respect by airline workers, including requiring specific training for all workers who assist disabled passengers;
- Setting standards about wait times, ensuring that disabled passengers who receive transportation assistance by airline workers are not made late or kept waiting by the airline before or after their flight
- Requiring that airlines protect disabled travelers’ personal mobility equipment, and says people cannot be separated from their wheelchair or scooter for more than 24 hours after arrival on a domestic or short international flight or 30 hours on a long international flight
- Requiring that when airlines do cause damage to disabled passengers’ mobility equipment, the airline must reimburse the traveler for expenses related to equipment damage,as well as costs related to missed flights or other problems caused by airline worker delays
- Setting standards to ensure timely information is provided to disabled travelers before, during, and after travel so that the passenger can make the best choice for themselves when selecting a flight, be updated about where their wheelchair or scooter is during travel, and receive timely updates about what’s happening if their wheelchair or scooter needs to be repaired or replaced after damage occurs
All air passengers can learn more about their rights at FlightRights.gov. If your rights are violated, and you are not satisfied with the airlines’ response, you can submit a complaint to the Department of Transportation here.
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