American Airlines fined over mishandling of disabled passengers

The US government has fined American Airlines Group Inc. $50 million for failing to provide adequate wheelchair assistance to passengers with disabilities and for damaging thousands of wheelchairs over a five-year span.

American Airlines fined over mishandling of disabled passengers

According to the US Transportation Department, some incidents resulted in injuries to wheelchair users, though the exact number was not specified. In response, American Airlines stated that it has made significant investments to improve its handling of wheelchairs. As part of a consent order, the airline will receive a $25 million credit—half of the fine—due to these improvements and compensation paid to affected passengers. The issues raised by the Transportation Department occurred between 2019 and 2023 and were partially prompted by three formal complaints filed by the Paralyzed Veterans of America. One incident that drew particular attention involved video footage from Miami International Airport showing workers recklessly sliding a wheelchair down a baggage ramp, causing it to crash and flip over. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg identified American Airlines as "one of the worst offenders," though he noted that similar problems exist across other airlines, which are also under investigation. However, he declined to name those airlines.

"The era of tolerating poor treatment of wheelchair users on airplanes is over," Buttigieg declared.

Between 2019 and 2023, American Airlines mishandled more than 10,760 wheelchairs and mobility scooters, second only to Southwest Airlines, which had over 11,100 incidents. Spirit Airlines, however, had the highest percentage of errors in certain years, according to the department. American Airlines claims it has invested over $175 million this year alone to improve accessibility, including infrastructure upgrades and enhanced staff training. The airline reported a 20% reduction in wheelchair mishandling and said fewer than one in every 1,000 passengers who request wheelchair assistance file complaints. The $50 million penalty is significantly larger than previous fines for similar violations. The previous record was a $2 million penalty against United Airlines in 2016, which was reduced to $700,000 after United was credited for passenger compensation and related improvements.