MDA’s Guide to the Air Carrier Access Act

The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) was passed in 1986 to prevent air travel discrimination against people with disabilities.

The legislation was passed following a June 1986 US Supreme Court decision, Department of Transportation v. Paralyzed Veterans of America, which determined that Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits disability discrimination by entities that receive federal funding, does not apply to commercial airlines.

“Before the ACAA was enacted, airlines could legally deny travel to individuals solely based on their disability,” says Danica Gonzalves, Senior Advocacy Attorney at Paralyzed Veterans of America. “Those individuals now have the right to travel by air, and that is a major accomplishment because so many modes of transportation are inaccessible or only have basic accessibility requirements. To have access to that mode of transportation that allows long-distance travel is important for individuals with disabilities.”

What is the ACAA?

The ACAA is a federal law enforced by the US Department of Transportation (DOT). In addition to establishing a right to air travel, the ACAA requires airlines to provide specific types of assistance and accommodations to passengers with disabilities.

The law has been expanded and updated a few times since 1986. Most recently, in December 2024, the DOT finalized a landmark “Wheelchair Rule” to improve safety and dignity for passengers who use wheelchairs and scooters. (Scroll down to read more about this rule.)

Who is protected?

The ACAA applies to all domestic and foreign airlines with flights traveling to, from, or within the United States. Airlines are also responsible for making sure that their contractors that provide services to the public comply with ACAA regulations.

The law protects passengers with disabilities and defines disabilities similarly to the Americans with Disabilities Act. The law’s broad definition includes many people living with neuromuscular diseases, chronic illnesses, mobility limitations, progressive conditions, intellectual and developmental disabilities, and more.

Key parts of the ACAA

The ACAA governs how airlines treat passengers at the airport and on airplanes. Key provisions include:

Protection from discrimination

An airline may not refuse services to someone because of their disability. They also cannot require passengers with disabilities to accept special services or subject them to restrictions that do not apply to other passengers.

For example, an airline may not require a passenger with a disability to travel with another person, except in limited circumstances. If the airline has a legitimate reason to require a passenger to travel with an assistant, they may not charge for the assistant’s transportation. However, if a passenger with a disability chooses to travel with an assistant or caregiver, then the airline may charge for their transportation.

Assistance on and off the plane

In the airport, a passenger who self-identifies at the gate as a person with a disability needing additional time or assistance to board, stow equipment, or be seated must be allowed to preboard before all other passengers.

Upon request, airlines must provide passengers with disabilities with prompt assistance boarding and deplaning (getting off the plane) by properly trained airline personnel. Assistance includes the use of ground wheelchairs, boarding wheelchairs, and on-board wheelchairs; assistance from the curb to the departure gate; assistance between gates for connecting flights; and assistance from arrival to pick up at the curb. Passengers may not be left unattended for more than 30 minutes in a ground wheelchair or boarding wheelchair if they are not independently mobile.

For most planes, boarding must be available by a level jet bridge, ramp, or mechanical lift that accommodates a wheelchair or wheeled aisle chair. Airline personnel must never hand-carry a passenger on or off an aircraft, except in an emergency.

On the plane, airlines should provide assistance, as requested, with getting in and out of the seat, moving to and from the lavatory, and stowing or retrieving carry-on items.

While airlines may not require advance notice that a person with a disability is traveling, they may require up to 48 hours’ notice for specific accommodations that require preparation, such as transporting a power wheelchair on an aircraft with fewer than 60 seats.

Accessible features on airplanes

New airplanes (defined as aircraft that US airlines received after April 1992 and foreign airlines received after May 2010) must have these accessibility features, depending on aircraft size:

• Movable aisle armrests on half of the aisle seats, if the aircraft has 30 or more seats.
• Priority stowage space in the cabin for at least one folding manual wheelchair, if the aircraft has 100 or more seats.
• At least one accessible lavatory with enough space to enter, maneuver, and use all lavatory facilities using the aircraft’s on-board wheelchair, if the aircraft has more than one aisle.
• An on-board wheelchair, if the aircraft has more than 60 seats and an accessible lavatory.

On older airplanes, if seats or lavatories are replaced, they must be updated to meet these requirements.

The right to travel with assistive devices and service dogs

Airlines must allow assistive devices as carry-ons in the cabin free of charge, and they may not count against a passenger’s carry-on limit. Assistive devices include medical devices and medications. Passengers who use ventilators or respirators are allowed to use their equipment on the airplane, but airlines may require 48 hours’ notice and one-hour advance check-in if a respiratory device needs to be connected to the aircraft’s power supply.

Airlines must permit a service dog to accompany a passenger with a disability in the cabin, unless it threatens others’ safety or violates a law. A service dog is defined as a dog that is trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a passenger with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, or intellectual disability.

For passengers who preboard and the on-board stowage space accommodates a foldable wheelchair, the wheelchair must be stowed with priority over other baggage, including flight attendant carry-ons. Manual wheelchairs that cannot go in the cabin stowage space and power wheelchairs must be accepted as checked baggage, as long as they fit in the plane’s baggage compartment.

Passengers who use wheelchairs and other mobility equipment must be allowed to keep their devices until they are as close as possible to the airplane boarding door. If they check their device, it must be given priority over other baggage and returned to them upon arrival as close as possible to the airplane door, in the condition in which it was received. Airlines may not require passengers to sign a waiver for damage or loss of a mobility device and must cover the cost of repairing or replacing damaged or lost equipment.

The 2024 Wheelchair Rule

This rule established new regulations under the ACAA to protect the safety and dignity of passengers who use wheelchairs and scooters.

For example, it defines “prompt” boarding, deplaning, and connection assistance, including that “personnel and boarding wheelchair must be available to deplane the passenger when the last passenger who did not request deplaning assistance departs the aircraft.” It also clarifies that “safe and dignified assistance” does not put a person at risk of bodily injury, does not risk damage to their wheelchair or mobility device, and respects their privacy and autonomy.

The regulation outlines new requirements for training personnel who provide physical assistance to passengers using wheelchairs and scooters, as well as those who physically handle and stow wheelchairs and scooters. These personnel, whether they are airline employees or contractors, must receive in-person, hands-on training to practice real-life scenarios in a controlled environment before being allowed to assist passengers.

The rules also strengthened protections for wheelchairs and scooters handled by airlines and the airlines’ responsibility for delays and damage. Airlines must cover the full cost of repairing or replacing a damaged wheelchair or scooter (up to the original cost of the device), and passengers may choose who repairs their device — either the airline’s contractor or a contractor of their choice. Airlines also must cover ground transportation and loaner equipment costs caused by a delayed or damaged device.

While the rule took effect in January 2025, enforcement of some provisions has been paused while the DOT considers additional rulemaking in an anticipated “Wheelchair Rule II.” The enforcement pause affects provisions related to:

• Airline liability for mishandled wheelchairs
• Predeparture notifications of wheelchair status
• Frequency of refresher training for personnel and contractors
• Reimbursement of the fare difference between a flight a passenger took and the flight they would have taken had their wheelchair been able to fit

Nonetheless, air travel has improved with the new requirements. “These regulations have not been in place for long, but we have seen improvements regarding services and the repair of wheelchairs and scooters,” Danica says.

Access to a Complaint Resolution Official at the airport

Airlines must have a Complaint Resolution Official (CRO) available in person or by phone at every airport they serve, during all operating hours. The CRO is a specially trained employee designated by an airline to be an expert in disability-related issues. They are empowered to make decisions to resolve issues and ensure the airline and its personnel comply with ACAA regulations.

Asserting your rights

If you encounter a disability-related air travel issue or believe your rights were violated and you are still at the airport, the first step is to request to speak with the airline’s CRO.

“If you have issues, passengers should always request to speak to the CRO while they are at the airport, and you also have the right to file disability-related complaints with the US Department of Transportation,” Danica says.

If you are within regular business hours, you can call the DOT Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) Disability Hotline at 800-778-4838. You may also submit a complaint online with the DOT.

Even if an issue is resolved at the airport, Danica encourages people to file a complaint with the airline and DOT. This may help them see the challenges passengers with disabilities encounter and how often they occur.

When a complaint is filed with an airline, they must respond in writing and directly address the issue in the complaint within 30 days. However, airlines are not required to address complaints submitted by customers more than 45 days after the incident occurred.

DOT will refer all disability-related complaints it receives within 6 months of the incident to the appropriate airline and investigate whether the airline violated the ACAA.

Airport security screening is not covered under the ACAA, but it is another aspect of air travel where people with disabilities may encounter issues. If you’re traveling with assistive devices or medical equipment, use the TSA Cares program to learn about security screening procedures and submit a request in advance for assistance getting through the screening checkpoint. If you encounter any issues during security screening, submit a Civil Rights and Liberties complaint online to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).

“We recommend that passengers know their rights before they travel,” Danica says. “That way, when they encounter an issue, they know whether their rights were violated and whether they should move forward with speaking to a CRO or filing a complaint. The more you know beforehand, the better it will be for your travel experience.”

ACAA resources

Use the following resources to learn about your rights when traveling with a disability or report disability-related issues:

• Reach out to MDA’s Advocacy team and sign up to stay up to date on air travel issues affecting people with disabilities.
• Review the Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights to learn about rights and regulations under the ACAA.
• Call the US Department of Transportation (DOT) Office of Aviation Consumer Protection’s Disability Hotline at 800-778-4838, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. EST.
• Learn how to submit a complaint to the DOT.
• Contact TSA Cares to request security checkpoint assistance or submit a complaint.
• Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA) also offers resources for travelers with disabilities, including tips, tools, and information on the complaint process on their website.