American Airlines Fined $50 Million for Mishandling Wheelchairs and Failing to Assist Passengers with Disabilities

The U.S. Department of Transportation has fined American Airlines $50 million for neglecting to provide adequate wheelchair assistance to passengers with disabilities and damaging thousands of wheelchairs between 2019 and 2023.

The department revealed on Wednesday that some wheelchair users were injured, though no specific number was given.

American Airlines has responded by stating it has made substantial investments to improve its wheelchair-handling process. As outlined in a consent order, the airline will be credited $25 million of its fine for these efforts and compensation provided to affected passengers. The fines followed multiple incidents, including one highly publicised event at Miami International Airport, where workers were caught on video mishandling a wheelchair, causing it to flip over and crash.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg condemned American Airlines, describing its treatment of disabled travellers as “undignified and unsafe.” He added that American Airlines is not the only airline under investigation for similar issues, though he declined to name other carriers. Buttigieg clarified that the government will no longer tolerate poor treatment of wheelchair users on aeroplanes.

The airline was faulted for its treatment of disabled passengers. Carlo – stock.adobe.com

Carl Blake, CEO of Paralyzed Veterans of America, praised the department’s actions and expressed hope that this enforcement would set a precedent for the industry. “Passengers with mobility disabilities deserve to travel with the same level of safety and dignity as everyone else,” Blake said.

From 2019 to 2023, American Airlines mishandled more than 10,760 wheelchairs and scooters, second only to Southwest Airlines, which had over 11,100 incidents. Despite these issues, American Airlines claims to have made significant progress, investing over $175 million this year alone to improve services for disabled passengers. The airline reports a 20% reduction in mishandling rates and says fewer than one in every 1,000 customers requesting wheelchair assistance now lodge complaints.

The $50 million fine is the largest ever levied by the Transportation Department for violations involving disabled travellers. By comparison, United Airlines was fined $2 million in 2016, later reduced to $700,000 after compensating affected passengers.

The fine comes as the Transportation Department finalises a proposed rule that would make it illegal for airlines to damage wheelchairs or delay their return to passengers. The rule would also require annual training for airline employees handling wheelchairs and assisting passengers with disabilities.

Did you know? Around 15% of the world’s population lives with some form of disability, and many face challenges in accessing adequate travel accommodations. Improved accessibility is essential for building a more inclusive world.