A ‘Bill of Rights’ for air travelers with disabilities and enhanced disability training for Transportation Security Administration (TSA) officers was included in a package signed by President Donald Trump last week that reauthorized funding for the Federal Aviation Administration. The bill will increase civil penalties for bodily harm to passengers with disabilities or damage incurred to wheelchairs and mobility aides.
Air travel can be difficult for people with disabilities, from lack of access to restrooms on board to sensory overload at check-in, security and baggage claim. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) covers airports, but air-travel is monitored by the lesser known Air Carrier Access Act.
The new bill requires the use of “plain language” to define the rights of passengers with disabilities so that they can be easily understood. TSA will also be required to revise its training on screening passengers with disabilities, paying close attention to sensitivity issues. A highlight of the bill requires studies on airport best practices, including the feasibility of, one day, allowing passengers to remain in their wheelchairs on-board.
Read more at Disability Scoop.
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