What Wheelchair Users Need To Know After DOT Halted Enforcement Of New Airline Rules

With the implementation of four Biden administration-approved travel protections for wheelchair users still hanging in the balance, travelers with disabilities need clear-cut information on what to do in the case of airline inconveniences that specifically impact them.

As of this report, the United States Department of Transportation notes that it has paused the enforcement of certain regulations intended to protect air travelers with disabilities. The regulations (known as the “Wheelchair Rule”) airlines’ liability for travelers’ mobility/assistive equipment, and the frequency of airline staff training on assisting those passengers. Additionally, the regulations require that carriers send a pre-departure notification to flyers who use mobility equipment regarding the right to file a complaint if they experience travel issues. Moreover, another regulation focuses on conditional reimbursements for travelers using mobility equipment in certain circumstances.

The DOT says it has temporarily paused enforcement of the regulations “while it engages in a new rulemaking process to determine whether to modify them.”

Even during the pause, the DOT says it will uphold the protections that were in place before the Biden-era “December 2024 final rule” on airlines’ liability for damage to assistive devices. That means that currently, per the DOT, airlines are still “responsible for paying to repair or replace a wheelchair or scooter.” The authority requires carriers to pay out “up to the original purchase price of the device, if the airline damaged the device.”

“Airlines must check and return your assistive device in the same condition as it was received. If an airline damages your wheelchair, they are responsible for covering the cost of the damage, and the amount of the payment will depend on whether the damage occurred on a domestic or international flight,” adds the source.

What Else Should People Who Use Wheelchairs Know About Their Airline Protections?

Travelers should rely heavily on the DOT’s educational resources before their next flight. Webpages, including the department’s designated one on the “Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights,” will refresh, empower, and expand travelers’ knowledge. Under the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), air travelers with disabilities have the right to dignified treatment, accessible information, airport assistance, seating accommodations, and more.

If travelers notice damage to their wheelchair, scooter, or other form of assistive device during or after it was in an airline’s possession, they need to alert the carrier as soon as they can. If the airline doesn’t resolve the issue, the traveler then needs to file a complaint with the DOT at their earliest convenience.

According to a document published in the Federal Register, the earliest that the DOT could weigh in on its implementation of the Wheelchair Rule is December 31, 2026.

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