"Proposed Rules to Improve Air Travel Dignity for Wheelchair Users"

U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has announced a proposed rule from the Department of Transportation to ensure airline passengers who use wheelchairs can travel safely and with dignity. The rule would set new standards for accommodating passengers with disabilities, mandate enhanced training for airline employees, and specify actions airlines must take to protect passengers when a wheelchair is damaged during transport. The proposed rule also aims to make it easier for the DOT to hold airlines accountable for mishandling wheelchairs. Additionally, the rule seeks comments on issues such as lavatory size standards and reimbursement of airfare difference for wheelchair users.