A new federal rule requires airlines to take steps to ensure that they are prepared to assist passengers with disabilities and carriers have just a few more days to comply.
By Wednesday, all airline staff and contractors who physically assist people with disabilities as well as those who handle wheelchairs or scooters must receive “hands-on training.”
Training is to include the safe use of the aisle chair, how to effectively communicate with and take instruction from passengers with disabilities and how to transfer passengers to and from their wheelchair, the aisle chair and the aircraft seat.
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Staff who stow mobility devices must learn to handle and configure them, to review relevant information provided by passengers or manufacturers and how to properly load, secure and unload the devices on each type of aircraft.
“Employees and contractors must be able to successfully demonstrate their knowledge” through competency assessments, certification exams or similar, the regulations state.
The mandate is part of a 2024 rule from the U.S. Department of Transportation that was touted at the time as the largest expansion of rights for airline passengers with disabilities in a generation.
In addition to staff training, the so-called “Wheelchair Rule” specified that assistance be provided in a “safe and dignified” manner and detailed what airlines must do if a passenger’s wheelchair is damaged or delayed. The rule issued by the Biden administration also makes it an automatic violation of the Air Carrier Access Act if airlines damage or delay the return of a wheelchair or another assistive device.
Last year, the Trump administration said that it would delay enforcement of several key provisions of the rule while it weighs issuing a new version, which officials dubbed “Wheelchair Rule II.”
One item that the Transportation Department opted not to delay is the training mandate.
“Airlines are still required to provide initial training for airline personnel and contractors as set forth in Wheelchair Rule I by June 17, 2026,” the agency told Disability Scoop.
However, it remains unclear how frequently airline staff and contractors will need to repeat the training. The rule specified that training occur annually, but that is one of the provisions subject to the Transportation Department’s delay. The agency now says it has a “target date” of August to issue a proposal for “Wheelchair Rule II.”
Air travel has long been a challenge for people with disabilities. Last year alone, federal data indicates that U.S. airlines mishandled 9,910 wheelchairs and scooters.
“For too long, people like me have suffered injuries, damaged equipment, and in the most tragic cases, loss of life, simply because airline personnel were not prepared to assist them,” said Robert Thomas, a U.S. Army veteran and national president of Paralyzed Veterans of America. “PVA is aware that many airlines are already working to meet these requirements, and we call on them to fully comply. We’ll know this rule is making a difference when wheelchair users arrive safely, with our equipment intact and our dignity preserved.”
American Airlines said it “intends to comply” with the new mandate and Southwest Airlines said it has “developed training enhancements that meet the requirements of the rule.” Officials with United Airlines and Delta Air Lines did not respond to requests for comment about their status.
Airlines for America, or A4A, a trade group representing U.S. carriers, also sidestepped the question.
“U.S. airlines are dedicated to ensuring a safe, inclusive travel experience for all passengers including those with disabilities,” the group said in a statement. “A4A and our passenger carriers are continuously engaged with the disability community, the Department of Transportation (DOT) and others to identify and implement solutions that increase accessibility.”
A4A and several major airlines sued last year after the Wheelchair Rule was finalized arguing that the Transportation Department overstepped its authority and the rule is “unlawful.”
