Wheelchair travel changes coming?

U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg has expressed a commitment to work on mandating airlines to allow passengers to remain in their personal wheelchairs during flights. This initiative addresses the challenges faced by many travelers with disabilities who suffer injuries or damage to their wheelchairs during air travel. Buttigieg acknowledged that achieving this goal would take time but emphasized its importance.

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) currently does not require airlines to enable passengers to use their personal wheelchairs, leading to a process of transferring individuals to airline-owned chairs for boarding and seating.

The National Academy of Sciences (NAS) recently reported that personal wheelchair securement is technically feasible on certain aircraft, but the financial implications for airlines, including potential costs of around $1 million per plane, remain a concern. Buttigieg referenced incidents like Marine Corps veteran Charles Brown's traumatic experience to highlight the urgency of addressing these accessibility issues in air travel.