Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) has petitioned the US Department of Transportation (DOT) to improve air travel for passengers with disabilities.
In the petition, PVA (represented by Democracy Forward) has urged DOT to address issues related to the transfer of passengers into and out of aisle chairs, and improve standards and requirements for boarding and deplaning airline passengers with disabilities.
They also want air carriers to maintain information about issues that occur during the boarding and deplaning process; and for air carriers to take responsibility when wheelchairs or other assistive devices are damaged, delayed, or lost.
PROCEDURES WOEFULLY INADEQUATE
“People with mobility impairments are subject to inhumane treatment at every turn of their air travel journey,” highlighted PVA National President Charles Brown and Democracy Forward President and CEO Skye Perryman. “Required accommodations remain woefully inadequate despite thousands of complaints from passengers; and a Congressional mandate outlined in the Federal Aviation Administration’s Reauthorization Act of 2018. We submitted a petition to the Department of Transportation today to call attention to the countless issues that must be addressed; to ensure safe and equitable access to air travel for all people.”
While the Department has taken important steps to address problems related to air travel for passengers with mobility disabilities; “they must go farther to establish more stringent requirements for the boarding and deplaning processes; processes that can affect the health and dignity of passengers with mobility impairments,” they added. “Our petition underscores just how much more must be done to improve air travel; and bring it up to the level we deserve.”
DISABILITY RIGHTS
PVA’s petition comes just three months after the death of disability rights activist Engracia Figuero; whose power wheelchair was destroyed during a flight. It forced her to spend weeks in a loaner chair, which reportedly caused a fatal pressure sore. It also comes on the heels of PVA’s recent air travel campaign which educated the public about the dangers of air travel for people with disabilities; and continues to encourage them to join their fight to improve air travel by signing a PVAction Force petition. Read the full Department of Transportation petition for rulemaking here.
Over one million people with a disability in the UK who can and want to work, are still being denied job opportunities, according to a new study. Click here to read more.
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