Advocacy is one of the core tenets of our mission here at the Amputee Coalition and we are committed to supporting legislation that will benefit the limb loss and limb difference community. Initiated by the Government Relations department, the Amputee Coalition is proud to officially endorse the Air Carrier Access Amendments Act of 2023.
This legislation was introduced by Representative Dina Titus and Senator Tammy Baldwin with the goal of making airports and air carriers more accessible for people with disabilities by addressing existing air travel problems.
The act seeks to address the barriers and limitations people with disabilities face by:
- Ensuring all covered gates, counters, ticketing areas, and customer service desks are accessible to all individuals with disabilities;
- Requiring the Secretary of Transportation to assess civil penalties for Air Carrier Access Act violations and refer patterns of discrimination to the Department of Justice;
- Granting individuals with disabilities a private right of action in civil court;
- Requiring the Secretary of Transportation to formulate standards to address effective boarding and deplaning, visually accessible announcements, in-flight entertainment, seating accommodations, lavatories, and stowage options for assistive devices; five years after the standards are finalized, airlines would need to operate aircraft that comply with the new standards.
View the advocacy letter on our website and learn more about how this piece of legislation intends to improve air travel.