U.S. DOT Announces Bill of Rights for Passengers with Disabilities, Calls on Airlines to Seat Families Together Free of Charge

WASHINGTON – As the busy summer travel season continues, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Friday (July 8) announced actions taken by the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) to help protect airline passengers. USDOT has published the first-ever Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights and issued a notice to airlines to seat young children next to a parent. 

“These announcements are the latest steps toward ensuring an air travel system that works for everyone,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “Whether you’re a parent expecting to sit together with your young children on a flight, a traveller with a disability navigating air travel, or a consumer travelling by air for the first time in a while, you deserve safe, accessible, affordable, and reliable airline service.” 

These announcements come at a time when consumer complaints against airlines are up more than 300% above pre-pandemic levels. 

The actions announced by the Department include:  

Publishing the First-Ever Bill of Rights for Airline Passengers with Disabilities  

The Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights, an easy-to-use summary of the fundamental rights of air travellers with disabilities under the Air Carrier Access Act, will empower air travellers with disabilities to understand and assert their rights and help ensure that the U.S. and foreign air carriers and their contractors uphold those rights. It was developed using feedback from the Air Carrier Access Act Advisory Committee, which includes representatives of passengers with disabilities, national disability organizations, air carriers, airport operators, contractor service providers, aircraft manufacturers, wheelchair manufacturers, and a national veterans organization representing disabled veterans. The Bill of Rights provides a convenient, easy-to-use summary of existing laws governing the rights of air travellers with disabilities.   

Calling on Airlines to Seat Parents with their Children  

The USDOT’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) issued a notice urging U.S. airlines to ensure that children who are age 13 or younger are seated next to an accompanying adult with no additional charge. Although the Department receives a lower number of complaints from consumers about family seating than some other flight issues, there continue to be complaints of instances where young children, including a child as young as 11 months, are not seated next to an accompanying adult. Later this year, OACP will initiate a review of airline policies and consumer complaints filed with the Department. If airlines’ seating policies and practices are found to be barriers to a child sitting next to an adult family member or other accompanying adult family member, the Department will be prepared for potential actions consistent with its authorities. 

Addressing Consumer Complaints and Refunds 

The latest Air Travel Consumer Report, released last month, shows consumer complaints against airlines are up more than 300% above pre-pandemic levels.

Similar to 2020 and 2021, refunds continue to be the highest category of complaints received by the Department and flight problems are the second highest.

To process and investigate these voluminous complaints, USDOT increased staff handling consumer complaints by 38%. OACP has initiated investigations against more than 20 airlines for failing to provide timely refunds. One of these investigations resulted in the highest penalty ever assessed against an airline.   

Travellers may file air travel consumer or civil rights complaints with the USDOT if they believe their rights have been violated.