ABLENEWS: Airlines Challenge New Rules—and USDOT’s Enforcement Freeze Stall Accessibility Reforms
The U.S. Department of Transportation updated regulations under the Air Carrier Access Act in late 2024 to improve air travel for passengers with disabilities after decades of persistent access problems and weak enforcement. Major airlines sued to block the rule, and the Trump administration’s Transportation Secretary, Sean Duffy, has now indefinitely suspended enforcement of key provisions, including airline liability for damaged wheelchairs, mandatory disability training, passenger notification of rights, and reimbursement for flights that can’t accommodate mobility devices. Disability advocates argue that airlines have long failed to voluntarily ensure accessibility, despite receiving billions in taxpayer bailouts, leaving wheelchair users still waiting for safe and equal access to air travel.
