Wounded Warrior Project Explains Newly Signed Legislation for Easier Air Travel for Those with Disabilities

Air travel is inherently stressful: arriving hours early, navigating security lines and gate changes, handling delays and layovers, and even the fleeting thought of whether your baggage will make it to the correct destination.

But imagine this anxiety compounded. What if you had to navigate security with a wheelchair, only to be forcibly removed from it by strangers and placed into an uncomfortable seat, all while fearing whether your wheelchair – your lifeline – will reach your destination in one piece?

“In September 2023, I flew from Seattle to Phoenix for an adaptive sports clinic with Wounded Warrior Project.  When I arrived in Phoenix, my chair was brought to me at the gate and was so visibly damaged that the chair was not usable,” said Army veteran Joy Cochran. “The airline told me that was the state my chair was received in.  I was traveling on my own, and my condition affects my speech, so I had difficulty with the airline staff, who I believe treated me less favorably because of my speech issues and assumed that I was not entirely competent.”

Unfortunately, experiences like Joy’s are common. Every year, hundreds of thousands of passengers fly with their wheelchairs and scooters. Of those, countless are mishandled, damaged, or even destroyed.

“I interacted with no less than six people who all tried to just get me to leave with just my broken chair or leave the airport with an airport transport chair as a substitute for my custom, ultralight wheelchair.  It was a wheelchair that I would need to have someone push me in, and so it would afford me no freedom or independence,” said Joy. 

When she advocated for herself, not complying with the demands to take a transport chair to leave the airport, she was taken to the curb at the airport in a chair that she was unable to operate on her own. She was left at the curb with her luggage and a broken wheelchair lying next to her.

“It took over five and a half months to reach a settlement and replace my wheelchair,” she said.

This year, advocates are taking action to combat this problem.

The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, signed in May, aims to establish new safety standards, enhance the travel experience for commercial airline passengers, and improve accessibility for passengers with disabilities. Since commercial planes are not designed to allow passengers to remain in their wheelchairs while flying, wheelchairs must often be transported in the cargo area of the plane. Like luggage, wheelchairs can then be damaged or lost in transit, severely limiting the mobility and independence of the passenger when they reach their destination. 

“We hear too many stories from warriors with disabilities – especially those who use wheelchairs – about the challenges of air travel," said Brian Dempsey, director of government relations for WWP. "That is why we were proud to support the passage of the FAA Reauthorization Act, which will help ensure veterans are treated with the respect they’ve earned when they fly.  Wounded Warrior Project is especially pleased that the new law will require mandatory training for airline personnel who handle wheelchairs or assist passengers who use wheelchairs.  We believe this will allow many warriors to travel with greater freedom, confidence, and safety.”

Individuals using a wheelchair have to give up their personal chair when flying.  Once they surrender it, they’re physically lifted into their seat on the plane by airline employees or contractors. Often, this means passengers are not only left feeling dehumanized or embarrassed but they can also be physically injured.

This can create significant barriers for wounded warriors who fly for business, recreation, medical care, and more. Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) supported many provisions of the FAA Reauthorization Act to improve air travel access to people with disabilities, including wounded warriors. These provisions include:

• Training: By 2025, the Department of Transportation (DOT) will establish new training standards for airline personnel and contractors who assist wheelchair users with boarding and deplaning. The training will include guidance on transferring passengers from their wheelchairs to their seats on the plane, as well as communicating with the passengers throughout the process.
• Refunds:  Requiring airlines to refund passengers who purchase a ticket but cannot travel because their wheelchairs don’t fit in the cargo area. 
• Seating:  By 2026, the DOT must issue new regulations on seating accommodations for passengers with disabilities. The regulations must consider those who require bulkhead seating for extra space or need to be seated with a caregiver during a flight.
• In-cabin wheelchair travel: The DOT must study the technical and economic feasibility of implementing airplane seating arrangements that would allow passengers to remain in their personal wheelchairs during flights.
• Service animals: Establishing a five-year Known Service Animal pilot program that creates a streamlined pre-approval process for passengers traveling with service animals.

WWP will monitor the implementation of these bills and their accompanying regulations and will inform warriors as new standards are put into place.

As Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), who lost her legs in an RPG explosion in Iraq, often states: “When you break my wheelchair, or you lose my wheelchair, you’ve taken away my legs.”

Wheelchairs, scooters, and other transportation aids are truly extensions of a traveler, of a person, and should be treated as such. The changes that WWP worked for through the FAA Reauthorization Act will not only make air travel an easier and more accessible experience for wounded veterans but also a more dignified one.

Contact: Kaitlyn McCue, Public Relations, kmccue@woundedwarriorproject.org, 904.870.1964

About Wounded Warrior Project

Since 2003, Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) has been meeting the growing needs of warriors, their families, and caregivers — helping them achieve their highest ambition. Learn more about how the organization supports veterans.