The U.S. government has fined American Airlines $50 million for failing to properly assist passengers with disabilities and mishandling wheelchairs over a five-year period. The fine follows an investigation by the Department of Transportation, which revealed that wheelchair users had been injured in some cases, though an exact number was not disclosed.
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The investigation focused on incidents that occurred between 2019 and 2023, and was partly triggered by formal complaints from Paralyzed Veterans of America.
One incident that raised particular concern took place at Miami International Airport last year, when workers mishandled a wheelchair, sending it crashing down a baggage ramp. The incident was caught on camera and added to mounting scrutiny of the airline’s practices.
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Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg criticized American Airlines, calling it one of the worst offenders. He said the problems identified were not unique to American, noting that investigations into other airlines were underway.
“The era of tolerating poor treatment of wheelchair users on airplanes is over,” Buttigieg said in a statement, signaling a stronger stance from the department on this issue.
In its defense, American Airlines stated that it had made significant investments to improve how it handles wheelchairs and assists passengers with disabilities.
The airline said it spent over $175 million this year on training, infrastructure, and equipment, and claimed it had reduced its mishandling rate by 20%.
As a result of these improvements and its efforts to compensate affected passengers, the airline received a $25 million credit against the fine.
Between 2019 and 2023, American Airlines mishandled more than 10,000 wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Southwest Airlines reported more incidents, while Spirit Airlines had the highest percentage of errors in some years.
Disability advocates, including Carl Blake from Paralyzed Veterans of America, applauded the government’s action. Blake said the enforcement showed that passengers with mobility disabilities deserve to travel with the same level of safety and dignity as everyone else.
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Looking ahead, the Department of Transportation is finalizing new rules to protect passengers with disabilities.
These rules would make it illegal for airlines to damage or delay the return of wheelchairs and would require annual training for employees who handle mobility devices. While no timeline has been given for the finalization of these rules, it is clear that airlines are under increasing pressure to improve how they serve passengers with disabilities.
Tags: American Airlines, Department of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, Settlements, Southwest airlines, Spirit
Lauren Taylor
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IS HITTING AMERICAN AIRLINES WITH A 50-MILLION-DOLLAR-FINE FOR NEGLECTING TO PROPERLY ASSISTS PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES AND MISHANDLING WHEELCHAIRS OVER A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD.
THE FINE FOLLOWS AN INVESTIGATION BY THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, WHICH REVEALED THAT, IN SOME CASES, WHEELCHAIR USERS WERE EVEN INJURED, THOUGH AN EXACT NUMBER WASN’T DISCLOSED.
THE INVESTIGATION FOCUSED ON INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED BETWEEN 20-19 AND 20-23. THE CASE WAS PARTLY SPARKED BY FORMAL COMPLAINTS FILED BY THE PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA.
ONE PARTICULARLY ALARMING EVENT WAS CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LAST YEAR, WHERE WORKERS MISHANDLED A WHEELCHAIR, SENDING IT CRASHING DOWN A BAGGAGE RAMP.
TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY PETE BUTTIGIEG DIDN’T HOLD BACK IN HIS RESPONSE, CALLING AMERICAN AIRLINES ONE OF THE WORST OFFENDERS. HE SAID THE PROBLEMS UNCOVERED WEREN’T UNIQUE TO AMERICAN, WITH INVESTIGATIONS INTO OTHER AIRLINES ALREADY UNDERWAY.
HE MADE IT CLEAR THE DEPARTMENT IS TAKING A FIRM STANCE, STATING THAT “THE ERA OF TOLERATING POOR TREATMENT OF WHEELCHAIR USERS ON AIRPLANES IS OVER.”
IN ITS DEFENSE, AMERICAN AIRLINES SAYS IT’S ALREADY MADE MAJOR INVESTMENTS TO IMPROVE HOW IT HANDLES WHEELCHAIRS AND ASSISTS PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES, SPENDING OVER 175-MILLION-DOLLARS JUST THIS YEAR ON TRAINING, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND EQUIPMENT.
THEY’VE REPORTEDLY CUT THE MISHANDLING RATE BY 20-PERCENT, AND ARE BEING CREDITED 25-MILLION OF THEIR FINE FOR THOSE IMPROVEMENTS AND COMPENSATING PASSENGERS.
AMERICAN AIRLINES MISHANDLED MORE THAN TEN-THOUSAND WHEELCHAIRS AND MOBILITY SCOOTERS DURING THE PERIOD IN QUESTION.
ONLY SOUTHWEST AIRLINES HAD MORE INCIDENTS, WHILE SPIRIT AIRLINES HELD THE DUBIOUS HONOR OF THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF ERRORS IN SOME YEARS.
DISABILITY ADVOCATES, LIKE CARL BLAKE FROM PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA, ARE APPLAUDING THE MOVE.
BLAKE SAID THIS ENFORCEMENT SHOWS THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY THAT PASSENGERS WITH MOBILITY DISABILITIES DESERVE TO TRAVEL WITH THE SAME LEVEL OF SAFETY AND DIGNITY AS EVERYONE ELSE.
LOOKING AHEAD, THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IS ALSO FINALIZING NEW RULES TO PROTECT PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES.
THESE RULES WOULD MAKE IT ILLEGAL FOR AIRLINES TO DAMAGE OR DELAY THE RETURN OF WHEELCHAIRS, AND WOULD REQUIRE ANNUAL TRAINING FOR AIRLINE EMPLOYEES WHO HANDLE THESE MOBILITY DEVICES.
NO TIMELINE WAS GIVEN FOR THE FINALIZATION OF THESE RULES, BUT IT’S CLEAR THAT THE PRESSURE IS ON AIRLINES TO IMPROVE HOW THEY SERVE PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES.
FOR SAN, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR
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