New Rule Requires Airlines to Report Mishandling of Mobility Equipment

Jan. 15, 2019
The U.S. Department of Transportation is implementing a rule that requires air carriers to disclose publicly how many wheelchairs and motorized scooters they damage, lose or otherwise mishandle each month.

Each time I board a flight and relinquish my power wheelchair to people responsible for loading it, I pray it will be returned to me in one piece.

Sometimes, it’s in several pieces. I wish these occurrences were flukes. The reality is that every day, passengers who travel with mobility equipment take a calculated risk when flying. Will our devices be loaded and unloaded carefully or tossed around like a piece of luggage?

Some airlines are better at this than others, but it’s hard to know.