ROCHESTER, N.Y. — New federal safety rules went into effect last week that should make air travel safer for people with disabilities.
The Biden administration mandated more training for airline employees. For people who use a wheelchair or other mobility device, flying is fraught with challenges, not the least of which is getting on and off the plane.
The security checkpoint is likely the least problematic part of the flying experience when you use a wheelchair. The real stress comes when it’s time to board the plane.
That’s because passengers have to be transferred to a painfully thin aisle chair. Tom Wheaton with Paralyzed Veterans of America shared another person’s harrowing experience.
“The handlers were untrained and dropped him violently on the floor,” Wheaton said.
The hard fall fractured the man’s tailbone. The tailbone was removed with surgery and he endured months of bedrest.
“Any dignity or independence he enjoyed before got ripped away from him that day,” Wheaton said.
Another concern is airlines damaging wheelchairs and other mobility devices during transport.
“My mobility scooter was broken by an airline just a few months ago and it left me stranded,” said Maria Town with the American Association of People with Disabilities.
On June 17, new safety rules went into effect mandating change.
“Airline personnel who support people with disabilities and who work with our devices like our wheelchairs and mobility scooters will get hands-on training and be assessed on their device handling competency,” Town said.
After all, airline travel should be accessible to everyone, no matter their disability. Town and Wheaton hope to soon see marked improvements.
“So with this training, people with disabilities should have better, safer experiences when we fly and we can fly with confidence knowing that our devices will not be damaged or broken during transit,” Town said.
The new rules mandate that airline employees undergo annual training. Now the onus is on the Department of Transportation to enforce those new rules.
If you have a poor experience, first you should complain to the airline’s Complaint Resolution Official (CRO). Each airline should have one at every airport, then file a complaint with the Department of Transportation.
To file a complaint, click here.
The post Consumer Alert: New rules now require airlines to better train staff who assist passengers with disabilities appeared first on WHEC.com.
