Federal officials are finalizing a rule they say will produce the largest expansion of rights for airline passengers with disabilities in a generation.
under the regulation Released this week, the U.S. Department of Transportation will require better training for airline staff and contractors who assist people with disabilities as well as those who use wheelchairs. Additionally, the rule raises expectations about how assistance is provided and what should happen if a wheelchair is damaged or delayed.
“All passengers deserve a safe and dignified trip when they fly, and we have taken unprecedented steps to hold airlines accountable when they fail to provide fair treatment to passengers with disabilities,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “With the new protections we announced today, we are setting a new standard for air travel, with clear and comprehensive guidelines for airlines to ensure passengers who use wheelchairs can travel safely and with dignity.”
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The rule stipulates that airlines provide “safe and dignified” assistance to passengers with disabilities, meaning that they are cared for in a way that does not expose them to an increased risk of bodily injury and that respects their independence, autonomy and privacy. Airline staff and contractors who provide physical assistance to people with disabilities or who operate wheelchairs or scooters will be required to undergo annual training starting no later than June 17, 2026.
In addition, the rule requires that people with disabilities receive immediate assistance when getting on and off the plane and when making connections. Airline personnel should be available to assist those using a boarding chair to disembark from the aircraft when the last passengers who do not require assistance exit the aircraft and the passenger’s personal wheelchair should be placed as close to the door as possible. plane, sets the standard.
The regulation also makes it an automatic violation of the Air Carrier Access Act if airlines damage or delay the return of a wheelchair or other assistive device and gives passengers with disabilities the right to new protections if an airline poorly handles your wheelchair or scooter. In such a case, a loan must be provided and passengers will be able to choose whether they want the airline to handle the repairs or replacements or whether they prefer to make the arrangements themselves at the airline’s expense.
Wheelchairs or scooters that are delayed must be returned to the passenger within 24 hours for domestic flights, the rule states.
If a person’s wheelchair or scooter does not fit in the cargo hold of their flight or if mobility devices are not loaded on a person’s scheduled flight for any reason, airlines are expected to rebook them. passengers with disabilities on the next available flight free of charge. the Department of Transportation said.
The standard also establishes new standards for the design of wheelchairs on board that will be phased in from October 2026.
The Department of Transportation notes that an estimated 5.5 million Americans use wheelchairs. Data shows that airlines damage, delay or lose 1 in every 100 wheelchairs carried on domestic flights.
The final rule will take effect on January 16, 2025, although some provisions will not be implemented immediately.
