U.S. Department of Transportation announcements, court rulings, or settlements

American Airlines Fined Record $50 Million for Mishandling Wheelchairs and Injuring Disabled Passengers

Oct 23, 2024, 11:24 AM

American Airlines has agreed to pay a record $50 million civil penalty to resolve claims by the U.S. Department of Transportation that the airline violated federal rules protecting passengers with disabilities. Between 2019 and 2023, the airline allegedly failed to provide adequate assistance to passengers with disabilities, including failing to provide wheelchair assistance, mishandling thousands of wheelchairs, and providing unsafe assistance that resulted in injuries. The fine is 25 times higher than any previous penalty for similar violations and marks the largest enforcement action to date by the Biden administration to ensure airlines comply with passenger rights laws.