In an ongoing effort to make air travel more accessible, the Department of Transportation (DOT) is seeking public comments on Part 2 of the proposed rule to require accessible lavatories on certain single aisle commercial aircraft. Continue reading
Tag Archives: air travel
DOT Forum to Address Accessible Air Travel
In an effort to make accessible air travel a better experience for wheelchair-users and slow walkers, the Department of Transportation (DOT) will hold a public meeting, to get input on accessible air travel from both the airlines and consumers. Continue reading
DOT Releases Updated Service Animal Regulations for Air Travel
In an ongoing effort to keep up with changing times, the Department of Transportation (DOT) recently released their updated rules for air travel with service animals. This rule replaces the previous one (http://barrierfreetravels.com/2019/10/dot-updates-acaa-service-animal-regulations/ ). which was released in October 2018.
While the previous rule increased the documentation required to fly with an emotional support animal, this update classifies emotional support animals as pets. The rule is expected to take effect in early 2021, 30 days after it’s published in the Federal Register. Here are the highlights of the new guidelines. Continue reading
Proposed Regulation on Accessible Lavatories on Narrow Body Aircraft Open for Public Comment
On December 11, 2019 the Department of Transportation (DOT) opened public comments for a proposed amendment to the Air Carrier Access Act, that would require accessible lavatories and on-board wheelchairs on single aisle aircraft that have 125 or more seats. Currently accessible lavatories are only required on wide body jets. Continue reading
DOT Updates ACAA Service Animal Regulations
In August 8, 2019 the Department of Transportation issued a “Final Statement of Enforcement Policies Regarding Service Animals on Flights”. This document, which clarifies some points in the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) in regards to service animals and emotional support animals, is the result of a public process which began in May 2018. This process was initiated after the DOT received a number of airline complaints about passengers who were skirting the rules and evading pet carrier fees by falsely claiming that their pets were needed for emotional support. Over 4,500 public comments were received after the Preliminary Rule was posted. Continue reading
Another Ryanair Fail
Although Ryanair claims that they have an onboard wheelchair on all their flights, apparently there wasn’t one available when Daniel Rooney needed to use it on his flight from Birmingham to Portugal earlier this summer. Continue reading
IATA Passes Accessible Air Travel Resolution
Early last month the The International Air Transport Association (IATA) approved an accessible air travel resolution at their 75th Annual General Meeting in Seoul, South Korea. The resolution calls upon governments to follow IATA’s core principles for accommodating disabled passengers, and hopes to bring the travel sector together with regulators in order to provide consistent air travel access regulations throughout the world. Continue reading
Air Travel Consumer Report on Wheelchair Mishandlings Released
The figures for reported wheelchair mishandling by US airlines are in for the second month, and I have to say I’m unimpressed. Continue reading
Jetstar in Hot Water Again
Ian Smith had an unfortunate end to his Fiji cruise last month, when Jetstar refused to let him travel back to his home in New South Wales from Melbourne. And although Smith is a wheelchair-user, that wasn’t the reason for the denied boarding.
Hong Kong Airlines Denies Passage to Solo Wheelchair Passenger
Early this month Hong Kong Airlines denied passage to a wheelchair-user who was traveling alone. Twenty-two year old Shen Chengqing was scheduled to travel from Hong Kong to Tianjin, but airport staff refused to check her in when they discovered she was traveling solo. According to Chengqing, she notified the reservation agent that she used a wheelchair when she bought her ticket.
So what happened? Continue reading