BVA Executive Director Don Overton and Deputy Director of Government Relations Alek Libbin yesterday attended a White House Convening on Protecting the Safety, Rights, and Dignity of Air Travelers with Disabilities. The invitation to attend originated from BVA’s support of the rights of disabled air travelers, particularly those with visual or mobility impairments. BVA’s support was influential in an announced proposal of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) during the convening that would dramatically expand the rights and protections of airline passengers who are disabled. 

The proposal covers the following:

• Mandates annual, hands-on training for airline staff and contractors who physically assist passengers’ wheelchairs.
• Allows passengers, at airline expense, to choose the company that will repair or replace their wheelchair if it is mishandled.
• Clarifies that airlines must provide prompt, safe, and dignified assistance to all passengers with disabilities, including those with vision impairment.

If airlines fall short of any of these standards or mishandle a passenger’s wheelchair, the proposal, if finalized, would make it easier for DOT to hold airlines accountable for failing passengers who use a wheelchair.

DOT Secretary Pete Buttigieg signed the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) on February 27 and submitted it for publication in the Federal Register. The full NPRM on the DOT website, not yet the official version but which will be revised and posted later, is available here.