The U.S. government imposed a fine of 50 million dollars on American Airlines for failing to provide wheelchairs to individuals with disabilities and for damaging thousands of those wheelchairs over a period of five years. The Department of Transportation mentioned that 'in some cases,' wheelchair users were injured, although it did not specify the exact number.
American Airlines responded that it has made significant investments to improve its handling of wheelchairs. In one of the incidents, a wheelchair crashed upon arrival, flipped over, and rolled on the floor. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg noted that American Airlines appears to be one of the most flagrant offenders, but the issues are not limited to that airline alone.
The airline will receive a credit of 25 million dollars, half of the fine, due to the investments made and the compensations paid to affected passengers. The incidents mentioned occurred between 2019 and 2023 and the investigation was initiated in part due to complaints filed by the U.S. Paralyzed Veterans Association.
Buttigieg assured that the era of tolerating mistreatment of wheelchair users at airports is over. Carl Blake, executive director of the U.S. Paralyzed Veterans Association, praised the department's action and stated that he trusts this measure will help the airline industry recognize that passengers with mobility disabilities deserve to travel with safety and dignity.
From 2019 to 2023, American Airlines reported mishandling more than 10,760 wheelchairs or carts for individuals with disabilities. On the other hand, Spirit Airlines had the highest percentage of mishandling in several of those years. American Airlines reported having invested more than 175 million dollars in infrastructure, training, and other measures to improve the travel experience for individuals with disabilities. The airline claims to have reduced the proportion of mishandled wheelchairs and carts by over 20%. Less than one in 1,000 passengers requesting wheelchairs file a complaint.