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FAA Reauthorization

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Both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate have introduced their versions of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization bill for 2018, which funds the FAA and its operations. The Senate bill includes all four disability provisions contained in last year’s bill:

  • Study the use of in-cabin wheelchair restraint systems;
  • Identify best practices in airport accessibility;
  • Examine training policies regarding assistance for disabled air travelers; and
  • Create an advisory committee with diverse stakeholders to investigate and report to Congress on the needs of passengers with disabilities.

The current House bill includes three provisions that would establish an advisory committee, identify best practice standards in airport accessibility and training policies, and undertake a study on use of in-cabin wheelchair restraint systems. Stay tuned for action alerts and updated information on how you can engage with your members of Congress to share why access to air travel is important to you and to support all of the disability focused provisions.

More Than 40% of Wheelchair Users Surveyed by MDA Report Their Wheelchair Was Damaged in Flight

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The results of MDA’s accessible air travel survey are in, and over 70% disabled respondents report having accessibility problems during air travel. The biggest problem was damage to wheelchairs, with 40% of respondents reporting it. Surprisingly, fewer than 4% filed a complaint, either because they did not know how to or were unable to file a claim before leaving the airport.

See the infographic at: https://strongly.mda.org/70-percent-mda-families-say-experienced-problems-accessibility-traveling-air-infographic/

United Airlines Destroys a French Man’s Wheelchair at the Beginning of His Month-Long Vacation

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Another United Airlines passenger gets dragged off the plane in an aisle chair, although this time United damaged the wheelchair instead of the passenger. That man, from France, had been embarking on a month long dream vacation.

U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin Introduces Legislation to Protect Rights of Disabled Airplane Passengers

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U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) today was joined by Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Ed Markey (D-MA) to introduce the Air Carrier Access Amendments Act. The legislation would protect the rights of disabled airplane passengers and close service gaps that passengers with disabilities frequently encounter in air travel. Last year over 30,000 airplane passengers, including many disabled veterans, filed disability related complaints with airlines.

The Air Carrier Access Amendments Act will:

  • Strengthen ACAA enforcement to include specific protections of the rights of passengers with disabilities and a private right of action.
  • Ensure airplanes are designed to accommodate people with disabilities and airlines meet accessibility standards, including safe and effective boarding and deplaning, visually accessible announcements and better stowage options for assistive devices.
  • Improve access to seating accommodations.
  • Close service gaps in air travel for passengers with disabilities.

A one-page summary of the Air Carrier Access Amendments Act is available here.