In a landmark decision announced on October 23, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) issued a $50 million penalty against American Airlines for violations of disabled travelers’ rights between 2019 and 2023. DOT investigators uncovered repeated failures, including unsafe physical assistance that resulted in injuries, and the mishandling of thousands of wheelchairs that left travelers without their essential mobility devices. In one incident, captured on video, a wheelchair was dropped down a baggage ramp at Miami International Airport.
The penalty consists of a $25 million cash fine that must be paid to the U.S. Treasury and $25 million in credits for accessibility investments. American Airlines is required to implement a company-wide wheelchair-tagging system to reduce incidents of wheelchair delay; deploy hub control center employees to coordinate wheelchair handling on a system-wide basis at large airports; and compensate affected passengers during the time frame covered by DOT’s investigation. If these expenditures are not fulfilled, the remaining $25 million will convert into a cash fine, bringing the total penalty to $50 million.
“This marks the end of tolerating poor treatment of airline passengers with disabilities,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in an official statement. “With this penalty, we are setting a new standard of accountability for airlines that violate the civil rights of passengers with disabilities. By setting penalties at levels beyond a mere cost of doing business for airlines, we’re aiming to change how the industry behaves and prevent these kinds of abuses from happening in the first place.”
A long overdue win for the disability community
This penalty is 25 times larger than DOT’s previous largest airline penalty for violations of disability protections, setting a new precedent for how the department will enforce laws against such violations going forward.
The action marks a turning point for the disability community. It took years of advocacy to expose systemic neglect. For too long, disabled travelers have endured indignities with little recourse: broken wheelchairs, delayed assistance, inadequate training, missed flights, and the constant fear of losing mobility devices. A wheelchair isn’t just equipment; it’s an extension of the body. Losing or damaging one can be life-altering, as it strips away a person’s independence and dignity.
In 2022, I experienced this firsthand when I arrived at my destination to find my power wheelchair damaged beyond repair, leaving me stranded. This incident left me without my primary means of mobility for months.
Over the years, disabled passengers have shared difficult and emotional experiences through social media, using platforms like the #RightsOnFlights hashtag to expose mistreatment and discrimination. These stories reveal a widespread problem that is not unique to American Airlines but extends across the air travel industry. On average, between 10,000 and 15,000 wheelchairs and other mobility devices are damaged each year on U.S. flights, according to DOT statistics.
A wake-up call, not a knockout
While $50 million may seem substantial, it represents just 0.1 percent of American Airlines’ $52.79 billion revenue in 2023. Though not a major financial hit, the penalty, which combines fines with mandated accessibility investments, sends a clear message. Other airlines should take note: Neglecting accessibility will carry serious consequences.
Despite legislation like the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), which prohibits airlines from discriminating against passengers with disabilities, and the Airline Passengers With Disabilities Bill of Rights, airlines routinely violate disabled travelers’ rights. The Bill of Rights, published by DOT in 2022, outlines the fundamental rights of disabled passengers, including dignified treatment, accessible airport facilities, assistance on the ground and in the air, and the right to travel with assistive devices or service animals. Although they are meant to uphold these entitlements, many airline staff remain uninformed about these obligations or disregard them entirely.
This lack of awareness and enforcement forces disabled passengers into cycles of exhausting self-advocacy. Instead of focusing on exciting travel journeys, passengers with disabilities must act like legal experts whenever they fly, fighting billion-dollar corporations to secure services that should already be in place.
“Airlines have too often escaped accountability and legal compliance, leaving passengers vulnerable,” said Cara E. Yar Khan, a former White House appointee and senior adviser on International Disability Rights. In a video posted on social media, Yar Khan recounts a recent experience at JFK Airport where she was denied the return of her wheelchair to the door of the plane, a violation of the ACAA: “The experience is frustrating and demoralizing, where the responsibility to enforce laws intended to protect disabled travelers unfairly falls on the very people the laws are meant to serve.”
How airlines can (and should) do better
Airlines don’t need to wait for fines to act. Nothing prevents them from investing in accessibility today. As someone who moves through airports every month, I’ve seen the rising demand for accessibility services firsthand. It’s not just lifelong wheelchair users and others with varying disabilities; older adults and travelers needing temporary assistance due to injuries also increasingly rely on these services. Preboarding areas are frequently overwhelmed with passengers waiting for assistance, causing delays and disruptions.
Accessibility isn’t a favor or niche service; it’s good customer care. Airlines that proactively integrate accessibility into their operations not only will meet rising demand but also will improve efficiency, streamline operations, and enhance the experience for all passengers. Designing for accessibility from the outset benefits everyone, resulting in smoother boarding processes and fewer delays. Treating accessibility as an afterthought diminishes its value. Airlines that understand this will foster trust, loyalty, and goodwill in an increasingly competitive industry.
Delta Air Lines has emerged as one of the few carriers taking proactive steps. A key goal of the #RightsOnFlights movement is to allow passengers to remain seated in their own mobility devices during flights. Thanks to recent announcements from the DOT and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), that goal is within reach. In early October, the FAA approved preliminary designs developed with Delta Flight Products—a Delta subsidiary focused on innovative aircraft interiors—that would allow passengers to remain in their wheelchairs in the cabin. With no significant safety concerns identified, the FAA aims to finalize feasibility by 2025. This development could transform air travel for millions of wheelchair users by the end of the decade.
As the population ages and the demand for accessible services grows, airlines must recognize that inclusive design benefits everyone, not just disabled travelers.
In 2024, disabled people are no longer asking for permission to belong, but rather are demanding the right to travel with dignity and independence. There is still a long way to go, but at last we are beginning to glimpse what the accessible future could look like.
