American Airlines Fined $50 Million for ‘Serious Violations’ of Disability Rules

Skift Take

The fine is one of the largest an airline has ever received for disability-related violations. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the DOT wanted the fine to “set a new standard.”

Meghna Maharishi

The Department of Transportation announced Wednesday that it would fine American Airlines $50 million for “numerous serious violations of the laws” that protect passengers with disabilities. 

The fine is one of the largest an airline has received for such violations. 

“Today’s penalty, which is 25 times larger than any previous U.S. DOT penalty for disability-related violations, is intended to set a new standard for our department to respond to these kinds of abuses,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg in a call with reporters. 

From 2019 to 2023, the department said it found instances of unsafe physical assistance that had sometimes resulted in injuries. The DOT added that the investigation also found “undignified treatment of wheelchair users” and “repeated failures” to provide wheelchair assistance. 

The carrier also mishandled thousands of wheelchairs, often damaging them or delaying their return to passengers, according to the DOT. 

A Hefty Fine for American

As part of the penalty, American has to pay $25 million to the Treasury Department. American will also be credited $25 million toward the total penalty to make investments in equipment to reduce incidents of wheelchair damage, a system-wide wheelchair tagging system, better coordinating wheelchair handling, and compensation to passengers affected during the timeframe of the DOT’s investigation.

If American does not make these investments, then it has to pay another $25 million to the U.S. Treasury. 

The department said it has similar ongoing investigations at other airlines. Buttigieg said American was one of the “worst offenders” but the issues the DOT found in its investigation were not confined to one airline. 

American said its wheelchair mishandling rate has improved. In September, the carrier reported a more than 36% decline in mishandled wheelchairs compared to two years ago.

“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,” said Julie Rath, American’s senior vice president of airport operations, reservations and service recovery. “Today’s agreement reaffirms American’s commitment to taking care of all our customers.” 

DOT Clamps Down on Disability-Related Violations

In February, the DOT proposed a set of new rules to protect passengers with disabilities. These rules would make delaying the return of a wheelchair or mishandling it an automatic violation of federal law, making it easier for the DOT to enforce penalties. 

The department also passed a rule in July requiring airlines to ensure their plane bathrooms were accessible to passengers with disabilities. 

Traveling for passengers with disabilities has often been a frustrating experience since wheelchairs can often get lost, damaged or mishandled. In 2023, the DOT reported that 11,527 wheelchairs and scooters were mishandled by airlines, an 11.5% increase from 2022. 

United Airlines implemented a feature on its website that allows passengers with disabilities to filter which flights can accommodate wheelchairs and be safely transported. The carrier said that the feature has been used by over 20,000 customers who travel with wheelchairs.