airlines required – New U.S. airline rules finalized late in the Biden administration require airlines to give “hands-on training” to employees and contractors who assist disabled passengers or handle mobility devices. Disability advocates say the change is aimed at safety, reduc
For many passengers with disabilities, the stress doesn’t start at the gate. It starts with the handoff—when someone unfamiliar with their equipment reaches for a wheelchair, a walker, or other mobility device meant to get them safely onto the aircraft.
Now, airlines in the U.S. are required to provide “hands-on training” to employees and contractors who assist disabled passengers or handle their mobility devices. The rule is the employee-training piece of a broader airline accessibility update that went through rulemaking and was finalized near the end of the Biden administration.
President Trump put many aspects of that rulemaking process on hold for further review. The training provisions, however, were allowed to move forward.
“This is a big step toward accessibility and safety for passengers on airlines,” Kendra Davenport, president and CEO of the disability advocacy network Easterseals, said. She argued that better training can reduce both physical harm and the fear many disabled travelers associate with flying.
Airlines damage or destroy thousands of mobility devices every year, and advocates have long said inadequate training is a common driver. Many baggage handlers, advocates say, may not be familiar with the limitations of moving and storing durable medical equipment, which can lead to damage.
The problem can also fall on personnel responsible for transfers—moving disabled travelers from their personal mobility devices to aisle chairs used on planes. and then helping them to their airplane seats. Davenport said injuries have occurred during that transfer process, including cases where people were injured and even killed.
She described what those risks look like in real time.
“I see people with disabilities singled out. I see the fear in their eyes and I also see the reticence of airline personnel to move people from their chair to an airline chair. ” Davenport said. “A little training can go a long way for making sure people with disabilities are treated in a dignified way.”.
The Department of Transportation is responsible for implementing and enforcing the new rule. The agency did not respond to a request for comment from this newsroom.
A broader set of accessibility changes remains less clear. There’s no clear timeline for review and implementation of other parts of the Biden-era rule, including improvements related to onboard wheelchairs and other provisions.
Davenport said she’s hopeful the Trump administration will return to a more thorough accessibility rulemaking process soon. At the same time, she pointed to efforts airlines may already be making to improve air travel for disabled passengers.
“I see airlines taking steps to better meet the needs of disabled passengers,” she said. “We’re optimistic that it will make air travel more accessible, safer, and more dignified for people with disabilities.”
airline accessibility disability access Department of Transportation mobility devices hands-on training Easterseals passenger safety Biden administration Trump administration