American Airlines Fined $50 Million Over Treatment of Passengers With Disabilities

The American Airlines logo on top of the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, on Dec. 19, 2017. Michael Ainsworth/AP Photo

The U.S. Department of Transportation has levied a $50 million fine against American Airlines in a settlement over the Texas-based company’s alleged violations of disability laws that took place between 2019 and 2023.

The department said the landmark penalty sets a precedent being “25 times larger” than its former record settlement.

“The era of tolerating poor treatment of airline passengers with disabilities is over,” Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in an Oct. 23 press release. “With this penalty, we are setting a new standard of accountability for airlines that violate the civil rights of passengers with disabilities.”

The department alleged that American Airlines provided subpar service to wheelchair users, including “unsafe physical assistance that at times resulted in injuries and undignified treatment.”

The department also alleged that the company at times failed to assist those in wheelchairs and “mishandled thousands of wheelchairs by damaging them or delaying their return.”

In its investigation, the department relied on three complaints filed by the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), which alleged that the airline had given “inadequate wheelchair assistance.”

The PVA said that it supports the department’s “strong statement” on holding the airline accountable.

“We are confident this unprecedented enforcement will make it clear to the entire airline industry that passengers with mobility disabilities deserve to travel with the same level of safety and dignity as everyone else,” said PVA Chief Executive Officer Carl Blake in an Oct. 23 press release.

In 2022, the transportation department published the “Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights” which established 10 rights, among those being “The Right to be Treated with Dignity and Respect” and “The Right to Assistance at Airports.”

The department said that disability care problems aren’t unique to American Airlines and that it has active investigations into other airlines.

Company Statement on Settlement

American issued an Oct. 23 statement in response to the settlement, stating that it is committed to improving airline service for those who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices.

“This year, American invested over $175 million in service, infrastructure and training to improve the travel experience for customers traveling with wheelchairs or other mobility devices,” Senior Vice President of Airport Operations Julie Rath said. “Today’s agreement reaffirms American’s commitment to taking care of all of our customers.”

As a result of the investment, the company said it has increased its wheelchair and scooter handling rate by over 20 percent since 2022, while the complaint rate for its wheelchair assistance services is less than 0.1 percent.

That’s less than one complaint for every 1,000 requests for assistance, American said.

In July, the airline announced an automated tag service that makes available detailed information about a mobility device’s itinerary, weight, battery type, and delivery points.

“American is committed to improving the travel experience for our customers who use wheelchairs and mobility devices,” Rath said. “Streamlining the check-in and tagging process is an industry-leading effort that will help us further improve how we handle wheelchairs for our customers who entrust us to transport their devices on their journey.”