Thu, Mar 27, 2003
At Issue: Treatment of Passengers With Disabilities
The U.S. Department of Transportation has
announced the issuance of an order reflecting a settlement with US
Airways regarding the carrier’s treatment of air travelers
with disabilities. The order finds that the carrier has violated
the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) and federal regulations regarding
wheelchair service required to be provided to disabled air
travelers. It also assesses the bankrupt airline a civil penalty of
$550,000 for these violations.
According to the terms of the settlement, US Airways is ordered
to cease and desist from future violations of the ACAA and
DOT’s rules prohibiting discrimination against passengers
with disabilities. The settlement allows US Airways to use $400,000
of the penalty toward specified activities to improve the
carrier’s services to persons with disabilities. The
remaining $150,000 will be treated as an unsecured claim in the
carrier’s current bankruptcy proceeding.
The department’s Aviation Enforcement Office launched an
investigation of US Airways’ compliance with the ACAA’s
requirements regarding wheelchair service based on complaints
received by the department. The Aviation Enforcement Office’s
review of the complaints received by DOT, as well as by the
carrier, revealed a significant number of apparent violations by US
Airways, including instances of prolonged delays in obtaining
wheelchairs, and passengers' being left alone in wheelchairs or
aboard aircraft for extended periods of time. In addition, the
office found that US Airways failed to comply with the requirement
for providing a proper written response to complainants in a number
of instances.
More News
Aero Linx: Model Aeronautical Association of Australia MAAA clubs are about fun flying, camaraderie and community. For over 75 years, the MAAA has been Australia’s largest fl>[...]
Touchdown Zone Lighting Two rows of transverse light bars located symmetrically about the runway centerline normally at 100 foot intervals. The basic system extends 3,000 feet alon>[...]
“Discovery and innovation are central to our mission at Virgin Galactic. We’re excited to build on our successful record of facilitating scientific experiments in subor>[...]
How To Get A Story On Aero-TV News/Feature Programming How do I submit a story idea or lead to Aero-TV? If you would like to submit a story idea or lead, please contact Jim Campbel>[...]
Student Pilot Reported That During Rotation, “All Of A Sudden The Back Of The Plane Kicked To The Right..." Analysis: The student pilot reported that during rotation, “>[...]
ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (05.02.24)
See All