See, it isn’t like if you’re disabled, you can’t take a flight. You can! Like, you can use a wheelchair to get around and in the airports, and when it is time, you can very well board your flight and travel or go wherever you want to go. But, in the past, there have been so many chances where airlines have mishandled the mobility devices of these disabled people, and that is precisely the reason behind this Airlines Wheelchair Protections Lawsuit right now in the United States.
There is a crazy fact about this entire situation, you see, in just one year, like in 2023 alone, the airlines in the United States actually messed up literally more than 11,500 wheelchairs and scooters that were super important for the disabled people. So, no wonder a lawsuit like this was just on the way.
Looking at this, well, surely, the majority of those people who use wheelchairs (there are 5.5 million of them in the country) are avoiding flying to wherever they want to go. And this is purely because they have seen how badly these airlines handle their mobility devices.
What Did the Government Do About It?
Looking at so many cases in just 2023 alone, sure enough, the government had to do something about it, so back in December 2024, the U.S. Department of Transportation (or DOT for short) created a new rule. What was that exactly? Oh, well, this new rule was only to direct the airlines to use better ways to handle the mobility devices of disabled people. So by this new rule, sure enough, if an airline loses, delays, or breaks someone’s wheelchair, it would be seen as breaking the law, specifically, the Air Carrier Access Act.
And it isn’t a new rule just for the sake of it, you see, there are real consequences involved for the airlines, like a big fine of as much as $124,000. According to this new rule, the airlines must train their staff to treat disabled people better so they feel comfortable while taking a flight.
Just in case, like, if the wheelchair is somehow lost or broken or something like that, there must be some other options made available by the airlines, like a loaner or filing a claim.
Airlines Are Not Happy About This New Rule
From the looks of it, well, airlines aren’t too happy about this new rule. Which airlines? Oh, there are mostly five big ones like American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, and United. And just so you know, they’re actually suing the government for this new rule, and that is precisely what we now know as the Airlines Wheelchair Protections Lawsuit. It was filed back in February 2025.
They are saying in their defence that sometimes it happens that by accident, these wheelchairs or mobility devices get damaged, and they shouldn’t be counted in this rule because the airlines can’t do much about it. They fear that if this new rule will be in effect, then they’ll need to pay the fine over and over again, in cases where they couldn’t do much about saving the wheelchairs. This pushback from airlines mirrors the Airbnb New Orleans Lawsuit, where another major industry challenged local regulations they believe overstep boundaries and threaten their operational flexibility.
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Read related cases in our Other Major Lawsuits & Disputes section.
