The first time my wheelchair was damaged by an airline I was 10 years old and on a two-week family trip to Hawaii. I remember beaming with excitement as I thought about all the experiences I would have on this once-in-a-lifetime trip. Unfortunately, that trip marked the beginning of a lifelong battle with air accessibility and my growing understanding of which airlines were best for passengers with disabilities.
Our itinerary included a stopover in Dallas, so we waited on the plane for my wheelchair to be brought to the gate. I looked out the window and saw the baggage handlers unloading everyone’s luggage and piling it onto a large trolley. But amid the pile of luggage, we noticed something else: my shiny purple wheelchair, my lifeline for getting through the world, was rolling carelessly down the conveyor belt, no different to a bag full of beachwear.
My parents and I watched in horror. This wasn’t just mishandled luggage or poor customer service. It couldn’t get any worse. Then one of the staff jumped into my wheelchair and drove it around the place with glee as if it were a toy race car. My parents banged on the plane windows, desperately trying to get their attention. The equally startled flight attendant frantically radioed to warn them. But the damage was already done. When my wheelchair arrived, both rear wheels were flat, the armrest was broken and the joystick was dangling by a thread. I was left without transportation for the duration of my two-week vacation in paradise.
Challenges for people with disabilities when flying
Unfortunately, little has changed since that incident. Air travel remains extremely challenging for people with disabilities. Not only does it require extensive planning, but travelers with disabilities must accept more risks and endure more discomfort than other passengers. Consider the following:
Wheelchairs are not permitted on airplanes. Unlike buses, trains, and other forms of transportation, people with disabilities are not allowed to remain in their wheelchairs during the flight. Instead, they must transfer to a seat. The risk of injury during transfer to the aircraft is high, and many people are more susceptible to developing pressure sores due to being far from their designated seats. Airplane restrooms are rarely wheelchair accessible and are rarely large enough to accommodate a caregiver if needed. People with disabilities may have to hold their urine or resort to uncomfortable methods such as catheters or diapers. Crew members may not allow necessary items to be transported. Although policies vary from airline to airline, it is not uncommon for airline crew members to give disabled passengers grievances regarding the transport of medications, specialized medical equipment, and service animals. Prior authorization often requires cumbersome paperwork. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Air Travel Consumer Report, thousands of wheelchairs and mobility aids break on U.S. airlines every year. Damage to wheelchairs can occur when flight crew physically lift wheelchairs onto conveyors, leave motorized vehicles in bad weather, or fail to secure wheelchairs in the cargo hold. Such improper handling can result in the loss of mobility, independence, and dignity for people with disabilities.
Which airlines are best for passengers with disabilities?
WheelchairTravel.org recently conducted a ranking of the best and worst airlines for passengers with disabilities using the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report, which collected data from November 2021 to October 2022. The evaluation focused on a variety of factors, including wheelchair mishandling, disability-related complaints, on-time arrivals, flight cancellations, and excessive delays.
Spirit Airlines and JetBlue Airways, popular low-cost carriers, were ranked as the worst airlines for passengers with disabilities, primarily due to their high rates of wheelchair mishandling. Both airlines had wheelchair mishandling rates of more than 5% (compared to the industry average of 1.55%).
Unfortunately, JetBlue’s 2023 performance is not improving. On April 17, Colleen Flanagan, an employee of the Boston Mayor’s Commission on People with Disabilities, flew with JetBlue from Boston to Washington DC, where her wheelchair allegedly fell through a cargo door and was completely destroyed during the flight. According to USA Today, the airline provided her with a replacement wheelchair while it was being repaired, but Flanagan suffers from osteogenesis imperfecta, which makes her prone to fractures, and she relies on a highly specialized power wheelchair to safely perform her daily activities. JetBlue’s negligence has had a significant impact on her community activities.
Thankfully, there are airlines that have a better reputation for transporting passengers with disabilities and mobility aids. Which are the best airlines for passengers with disabilities? Here is a list:
United Airlines
United Airlines ranked third on WheelchairTravel.org’s ranking of the best airlines for passengers with disabilities. In fact, United Airlines ranked third in all major categories that affect passengers with disabilities, including wheelchair mishandling, disability complaints, on-time arrivals and flight cancellations.
Jodi Schwartz, who recently flew with United Airlines, said she had a very good experience with the airline. Her mobility scooter sustained minor damage during shipping, but the airline’s insurance company resolved the issue very quickly and replaced the mobility scooter with a new one, she says. Despite the initial issues, Schwartz felt she was treated very fairly.
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines takes the number two spot on this list, and deserves its ranking as one of the best airlines for passengers with disabilities. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Disability-Related Complaint Data Compendium, Southwest is one of the best airlines when it comes to disability and general passenger complaints. This data takes into account disability-related security issues, denied boarding of passengers, failure to provide assistance, seat adjustments, and service animal issues. While Southwest appears to outperform its competitors in these key areas, it does rank low (sixth) when it comes to mishandling wheelchairs. Therefore, this airline may be a good choice for passengers with disabilities who don’t have mobility aids.
Delta Airlines
Which airline is best for passengers with disabilities? Delta Airlines. Delta lands a huge win, scoring either best or second best in nearly every category. Most importantly, Delta has a relatively low wheelchair mishandling rate of 0.83%. (However, even this low rate still amounts to over 1,600 damaged mobility devices over the course of a year, which equates to roughly 134 devices per month and 4 devices per day.) While Delta is better than its competitors, these statistics still aren’t cause for celebration.
That said, Delta Flight Products, a subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, has unveiled a prototype of a new wheelchair-friendly cabin. Designed in collaboration with UK-based organization Air4All, the concept allows passengers with disabilities to remain in their wheelchairs for the entire flight. The design seamlessly converts a standard airplane seat to be wheelchair accessible, without requiring any structural modifications. If testing is successful, Delta hopes to gain approval for commercial use within 18 months. We are pleased to see Delta taking an active role in addressing and working to improve air travel inequities for the disability community.
Even if I knew the best Google Flights hacks, how to book the best flights, how to get the best airfares, or how to use flight price trackers, air travel would never be completely easy or risk-free for an individual like me. But knowing which airlines are best for passengers with disabilities (and actually prioritize our needs) before booking my next flight can help alleviate some of the associated anxiety.
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