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1 in 100 wheelchairs and scooters are mishandled by U.S. airlines
Nearly 10,000 wheelchairs and scooters were mishandled last year, and Frontier Airlines had the highest rate, the Transportation Department said.
- From January through July 2026, more than 511,000 wheelchairs and scooters boarded domestic flights, with more than 5,500 mishandled. Frontier Airlines recorded the highest mishandling rate at 1.52%.
- The Department of Transportation finalized the 'Wheelchair Rule' in December 2024, but The Trump administration delayed enforcement until April 2027, stating intent to revisit regulations under a 'Wheelchair Rule II.'
- Paralyzed Veterans of America Chief Policy Officer Heather Ansley noted the 'very big human toll' of lifting passengers, as 500-pound power wheelchairs complicate transfers. 'It leads to people being dropped in the process,' Ansley said.
- Disability-Related complaints filed directly to Airlines reached 43,451 in 2024, accounting for more than five complaints per 100,000 passengers—more than triple the rate 20 years prior.
- Five major airlines supported a lawsuit by Airlines for America in February 2025 challenging DOT regulations, coinciding with repeated enforcement delays for mandatory training and equipment requirements.
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Total News Sources26
Leaning Left0Leaning Right0Center26Last UpdatedBias Distribution100% Center
Bias Distribution
- 100% of the sources are Center
100% Center
C 100%
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