WASHINGTON — The Federal Aviation Administration announced a final rule Tuesday that gives new protections to airline passengers with disabilities. 

What You Need To Know

  • The Federal Avaiation Administration announced on Tuesday new protections for airline passengers with disabilities

  • Under the new rules, airlines are required to provide prompt assistance for passengers with disabilities

  • Airlines must also repair or replace mobility devices they damage

  • In 2023, there were 11,527 incidents of airlines mishandling wheelchairs or mobility scooters, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the new Safe and Accessible Air Travel for All American Passengers rule establishes comprehensive standards to assist individuals with mobility devices.

“The core premise of all transportation has to do with access — how we access people and goods and places that we all need to connect with,” Buttigieg said at an event announcing the rule. 

He said the aviation sector has often failed travelers with disabilities, especially wheelchair users. In 2023, the Department of Transportation logged 11,527 incidents of airlines mishandling wheelchairs and mobility scooters.

The new rule will require airline employees and contractors to undergo annual training to make sure they can safely assist passengers with disabilities and carefully handle their wheelchairs or scooters during a flight. It also requires airlines to provide prompt assistance for passengers with disabilities, including having a wheelchair available near the door when getting off the plane.

Airlines must also return checked wheelchairs and mobility devices in the same condition as they were received. If a wheelchair or mobility device is damaged, the airline will need to promptly repair or replace the device and pay the associated costs.

"U.S. airlines are dedicated to providing exceptional customer service and ensuring a safe, inclusive travel experience for passengers with disabilities," a spokesperson for the Airlines for America trade group told Spectrum News. "A4A and our passenger carriers remain engaged with the disability community, the Department of Transportation and others to identify and implement solutions to accessibility barriers."

The spokesperson said airlines have been enhancing services for passengers with disabilities since 2022, including reduced instances of wheelchair mishandling and improved employee training and education programs.