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.”
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
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