ACCESSIBLE AIR TRAVEL IS READY FOR TAKEOFF

CAN IT AVOID TURBULENCE?

Know Your Rights as an Airline Passenger

Stay up-to-date on rules regarding accessible air travel and your rights with these resources.

• Find updates on air travel reforms at org/airtravel.
• Visit the US Department of Transportation’s page on Aviation Consumer Protection for people with disabilities.
• Familiarize yourself with the Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights.
• Learn about federal policies and protections for flying with service animals.
• Learn how the Air Carrier Access Act prohibits discrimination based on disability in air travel.
• Find more details on the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.

 

ACCESSIBLE AIR TRAVEL IS READY FOR TAKEOFF

CAN IT AVOID TURBULENCE?

All Wheels Up Founder and President Michele Erwin says momentum is building, evidenced by several airline equipment manufacturers visiting with her during the Aircraft Interiors Expo, the world’s largest aircraft interiors trade show.

She also notes that aircraft manufacturers, such as Airbus, have been attending All Wheels Up’s conferences.

Keeping the momentum going

Just as MDA advocates were key in shaping the provisions of the FAA Reauthorization and new DOT rules, they play a significant role in telling the airline industry and lawmakers that their work is not done.

“MDA stands ready to work with all our champions to drive positive policy change for travelers affected by neuromuscular disease,” says Shannon Wood, Director of Disability Policy at MDA. 

She encourages everyone to write to their elected officials and the DOT to keep building momentum for more inclusive and safer travel.

“Safety and dignity for wheelchair users is a basic right, but it also opens up travel for people with disabilities, which is good for them, good for the industry, and good for business,” Michele says.

---

ACCESSIBLE AIR TRAVEL IS READY FOR TAKEOFF

CAN IT AVOID TURBULENCE?

In addition, the FAA Reauthorization Act includes some victories for moving toward in-flight travel in an assistive mobility device:

• Congress will fund an in-depth budget impact model exploring how a wheelchair spot in the cabin impacts airlines, equipment manufacturers, tourism dollars, and damage cost avoidance.
• Testing will focus on tie-down devices that provide safe travel for wheelchair passengers.
• The FAA will conduct studies on creating evacuation plans for travelers in their own wheelchairs on board. Safety studies and evacuation plans are a core element before the airline industry can move forward.

ACCESSIBLE AIR TRAVEL IS READY FOR TAKEOFF

CAN IT AVOID TURBULENCE?

MDA, PVA, and other disability-related organizations agree that adjusting airplane cabins to allow travelers to remain in their wheelchairs while flying is the seismic shift needed in air travel.

For 15 years, All Wheels Up Founder and President Michele Erwin has been leading that charge. She believes airlines are starting to see that it makes economic sense.

“We know 80% of power wheelchair users do not travel by air because of the possibility of lost or damaged mobility devices,” Michele says. 

“There are 4 million wheelchair users in the United States and at least 20 million globally, but only a fraction are traveling. 

When someone travels by plane, airlines don’t just sell one ticket — they sell two to four more tickets to family members, friends, and business associates. 

More accessibility means more revenue.”

 

ACCESSIBLE AIR TRAVEL IS READY FOR TAKEOFF

CAN IT AVOID TURBULENCE?

“People with disabilities have the right to access any mode of transportation and have the same safe experience that everyone else has,” says Heather Ansley is Chief Policy Officer for PVA and the co-chair of the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) Advisory Committee.

“If you have to be across the country the next day — to address an urgent family matter or attend a critical business meeting — the only way you can do that is to fly. People with disabilities are no different. 

They’ve paid the fare, so the airline needs to provide a safe and dignified experience.”

If something happens to your wheelchair or other mobility device during air travel, document the damage or other issues in writing and take photos. 

The quickest way to get a response is to contact the airline. 

Check the airline’s website to see if they have a specific phone number to call for disability-related concerns.

“If the issue is not resolved sufficiently, or if you have concerns that your rights were violated, also submit a complaint to the DOT,” says Shannon Wood, Director of Disability Policy at MDA. 

“It’s those complaints to the DOT that led to the unprecedented fine against American Airlines last year.”

ACCESSIBLE AIR TRAVEL IS READY FOR TAKEOFF

CAN IT AVOID TURBULENCE?

Heather Ansley is Chief Policy Officer for PVA and the co-chair of the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) Advisory Committee. 

The 2024 FAA reauthorization extended the life of the committee and charged it with researching and advising on crucial mobility issues, such as the use of lithium batteries in assistive mobility devices and best practices for service animals in flight.

“Overall, the disability community is focused on our advocacy to make sure any administration knows that we are watching the deadlines given by Congress, and we feel strongly about action being needed,” Heather says.

Many changes that will benefit disabled passengers are still in the rulemaking stage or have longer deadlines for implementation. 

This means it is too early to see widespread change, and it is imperative to work with the administration and the airline industry to ensure forward momentum.

 

ACCESSIBLE AIR TRAVEL IS READY FOR TAKEOFF

CAN IT AVOID TURBULENCE?

The largest disability enforcement action before this fine was only $2 million. 

Shannon Wood, Director of Disability Policy at MDA, notes that while half of the fine goes to the US Treasury, the remaining $25 million will be credited to American Airlines in the form of offsets.

“Offsets could be used for investments in equipment to reduce wheelchair damage, wheelchair lifts used to safely lower wheelchairs from the jet bridge down to the tarmac, system-wide wheelchair tagging systems, or other improvements,” she says.

MDA works closely with Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) and other nonprofit organizations to advocate for better air travel. PVA filed formal complaints about American Airlines’ “physical assistance that at times resulted in unsafe and undignified treatment of wheelchair users.” 

When the fine was levied, the DOT cited PVA’s complaints that outlined egregious actions.

ACCESSIBLE AIR TRAVEL IS READY FOR TAKEOFF

CAN IT AVOID TURBULENCE?

In February 2025, the trade group Airlines for America and five air carriers — American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United — filed a lawsuit, arguing that some of the DOT’s new rules regarding protections for passengers with wheelchairs are unnecessary and an overreach. 

As of press time, the DOT’s rules are still in effect.

In October 2024, the DOT showed that its commitment to safer, more inclusive air travel was more than lip service.

It levied a $50 million fine against American Airlines for violating laws protecting passengers with disabilities, sending a signal to the industry that poor treatment of passengers with disabilities would not be tolerated.

ACCESSIBLE AIR TRAVEL IS READY FOR TAKEOFF

CAN IT AVOID TURBULENCE?

At the end of 2024, the DOT released additional disability-positive rules that went into effect in January 2025, such as:

• Codifying that airline actions that result in a “heightened risk of bodily injury, which may include loss or damage to wheelchairs and other assistive devices that result in bodily injury,” violate the rights of passengers with disabilities
• Stating that personnel and boarding chairs must be ready to assist passengers no later than when other passengers have left the aircraft
• Requiring airline workers and contractors to get enhanced training on wheelchair disassembly and reassembly, proper wheelchair loading and securement, and safe and dignified passenger transfer assistance

ACCESSIBLE AIR TRAVEL IS READY FOR TAKEOFF

CAN IT AVOID TURBULENCE?

Disability-related provisions in the FAA reauthorization include:

• Strengthening training requirements for those assisting passengers with limited mobility, as well as for those who stow wheelchairs and assistive devices
• Improving the complaint process with the DOT
• Requiring better reporting of data on mishandled wheelchairs
• Funding continued study into in-cabin wheelchair tie-down systems

ACCESSIBLE AIR TRAVEL IS READY FOR TAKEOFF

CAN IT AVOID TURBULENCE?

Advocates will continue to play an essential role in ensuring that all the promised reforms are implemented without delay or reversal.

Advocacy gets results

Shannon Wood, Director of Disability Policy at MDA, noted that MDA advocates sent more than 400 comments to the US Department of Transportation (DOT), and many testified at listening sessions the DOT held to gather input for the final FAA reauthorization.

 

ACCESSIBLE AIR TRAVEL IS READY FOR TAKEOFF

CAN IT AVOID TURBULENCE?

The past year featured the most disability-positive changes for air travel in decades. 

While there is still a way to go before air travel is fully accessible, policy and rule changes promise to make it safer and more dignified for people with disabilities.

Most of the changes came in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization, an act that is reapproved every five years, most recently in May 2024.

“Senator Tammy Duckworth, a Democrat, was instrumental in getting disability provisions included. Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican, helped move the bill forward on the Senate floor — it had very strong bipartisan support,” says Shannon Wood, Director of Disability Policy at MDA. 

“We can say that in conjunction with disability advocates from across the disability rights community, those living with neuromuscular diseases played a huge role in getting disability-rights provisions successfully included in FAA reauthorization.”

 

 

VOCATIONAL TRAINING AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL COLLEGE

ADAPTABLE SKILLS AND FLEXIBLE CAREERS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Richard Vagen, who has a type of muscular dystrophy and uses a wheelchair for mobility, works part time in enrollment for continuing education at St. Louis Community College, which delivers professional development and vocational opportunities.

After earning a bachelor’s degree in art history, Richard attended a Starkloff career program aimed at honing job interview skills for people with disabilities.

“I think the number of programs offered in the vocational space and the way they adapt with the times gives people with disabilities the opportunity to discover fields in which they can rise,” he says.

“My job evolved into virtually all remote work, with flexibility that allows me to help raise my kids and manage my disability.”

 

 

 

VOCATIONAL TRAINING AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL COLLEGE

ADAPTABLE SKILLS AND FLEXIBLE CAREERS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

While each person’s interests and needs may be different, people in the disability community commonly have skills that are adaptable to just about any job.

“Many people with disabilities are great at planning, organizing, and problem-solving because they live in a world not designed for them,” says Lori Becker, CEO of the Starkloff Disability Institute.

“Employers are looking for more diverse talent.

They want to hire a workforce that reflects the community.”

Presenting oneself to employers as a person with a disability who is confident in their skill set and has the certification to back it up can be a pathway to a career, not just a paycheck.

VOCATIONAL TRAINING AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL COLLEGE

ADAPTABLE SKILLS AND FLEXIBLE CAREERS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Lori Becker, CEO of the Starkloff Disability Institute, gives an example: “Cybersecurity is a booming field that can be done on your computer at home.

You could get a certification in as little as six months and get an entry-level job. Then you can grow in increments — whether it is going back for a higher IT certification level or pursuing a master’s degree.”

 

 

 

VOCATIONAL TRAINING AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL COLLEGE

ADAPTABLE SKILLS AND FLEXIBLE CAREERS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Lori Becker, CEO of the Starkloff Disability Institute in Missouri, is also a graduate of the Starkloff Career Academy.

She has seen firsthand how vocational training can leverage transferable skills.

“Every disability is unique and has different impacts on the body,” she says.

“I’m legally blind.

Our chief financial officer has congenital muscular dystrophy [CMD].

The great thing is that there are plenty of vocations that are not the typical carpenter or electrician.”

VOCATIONAL TRAINING AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL COLLEGE

ADAPTABLE SKILLS AND FLEXIBLE CAREERS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Another advantage of vocational training is that it allows an individual to focus on their interests and adaptable skills.

“If you are a great problem solver, into computers, or love travel, there are careers, many remote, that can be attained via vocational training that leads to certification,” Alice Muterspaw, Vice President of Vocational Services, at the Viscardi Center, says.

VOCATIONAL TRAINING AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL COLLEGE

ADAPTABLE SKILLS AND FLEXIBLE CAREERS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

MDA Ambassador Cassidy Nilles is currently a stay-at-home single mom to her 6-year-old daughter and uses a power wheelchair for mobility.

She observes that vocational training can be easier for a single parent, as well as a person with a disability, to afford and manage around their needs.

“There are many options for certification programs and opportunities to expand the career you’re in,” she says.

For example, although Cassidy can no longer work as a hairstylist, she plans to stay in the beauty industry, perhaps as a licensed colorist who creates custom hair color formulas for an online company.

“If my daughter wanted to go into vocational training, I’d say, ‘heck yeah,’” she says.

VOCATIONAL TRAINING AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL COLLEGE

ADAPTABLE SKILLS AND FLEXIBLE CAREERS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Vocational training gave Cassidy Nilles a flexible career.

MDA Ambassador Cassidy Nilles launched her career through vocational training and plans to take that route again when she reenters the workforce.

While growing up in the Chicago suburbs, she wanted to be a hairstylist. She liked the idea of being her own boss and having a career right out of high school.

“From junior year on, I spent every day of the week training for what I wanted to do,” Cassidy says.

“I lived and worked in Los Angeles for about three years — as long as I could after being diagnosed with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy [LGMD] at age 20.”

She liked controlling her destiny and earning money via talent and hard work.

VOCATIONAL TRAINING AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO TRADITIONAL COLLEGE

ADAPTABLE SKILLS AND FLEXIBLE CAREERS FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

The Viscardi Center in New York offers a range of services for people with disabilities, including vocational training and job placement.

Alice Muterspaw, Vice President of Vocational Services, believes that in a rapidly changing workforce, vocational training can make a worker just as attractive to employers as a person with a four-year academic degree.

She also notes that state vocational rehabilitation agencies, which provide services to help people with disabilities pursue employment, often fund vocational training programs and provide tools or support needed to complete them, such as transportation.