USA Today
Zach Wichter
29 October 2024
A long-sought goal for disabled travelers may soon come to fruition. The Department of Transportation, the Federal Aviation Administration and Delta Air Lines all confirmed that work is in progress to allow travelers who rely on wheelchairs to fly seated in their own equipment.
“This is the moment we have been waiting for. I am thrilled,” Sophie Morgan, founder of the Rights on Flights campaign, said in a statement. “This is the first step on a long journey towards change. Now, we call on all airlines to adopt this invocation and change the world for wheelchair users.”
As Morgan said, it’s a cause that has been central for many disability advocates.
Airlines in the U.S. damage or destroy 10,000-15,000 wheelchairs and other mobility devices each year on average, according to DOT statistics, and many advocates have previously told USA TODAY that allowing disabled travelers to remain in their wheelchairs, rather than forcing them to check the devices, is a key step to making travel more accessible.
Read on: Delta Air Lines, DOT and FAA moving toward wheelchair seat approval
