US government fines American Airlines $50 million
By Lauren Taylor (Anchor), Mirlie Larose (Producer), Zachary Hill (Video Editor)
The U.S. government has fined American Airlines $50 million for failing to properly assist passengers with disabilities and mishandling wheelchairs over a five-year period. The fine follows an investigation by the Department of Transportation, which revealed that wheelchair users had been injured in some cases, though an exact number was not disclosed.
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
US fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Associated Press NewsUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Hindustan TimesUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on abc News‘I felt like luggage’: American Airlines fined $50 million for violating disabled passengers’ rights
Click to see story on CNNAmerican Airlines to pay record $50 million fine over its treatment of disabled passengers
Click to see story on CBS NewsUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on The Toronto StarUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Coast ReporterAmerican Airlines fined $50 million for its treatment of passengers with disabilities
Click to see story on nprUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Rocky Mountain OutlookUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Star TribuneAmerican Airlines fined $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on NBC NewsUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Prince George CitizenUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Times UnionUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on SF GateUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on San Antonio Express-NewsUS Fines American Airlines Record $50 Million Over Treatment of Disabled Passengers
Click to see story on U.S. NewsUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on SF ChronicleUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Bowen Island UndercurrentUS fines American Airlines record $50 million over treatment of disabled passengers
Click to see story on ReutersU.S. fines American Airlines record $50 million over treatment of disabled passengers
Click to see story on CNBC‘I felt like luggage’: American Airlines fined $50 million for violating disabled passengers’ rights
Click to see story on KVIAUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Winnipeg Free PressAmerican Airlines hit with $50M fine, record for disability issues
Click to see story on The Business JournalsUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Washington Top NewsUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on WPLGUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on WKMGAmerican Airlines fined $50 million for mishandling disabled passengers, wheelchairs
Click to see story on Portland Press Herald‘I felt like luggage’: American Airlines fined $50 million for violating disabled passengers’ rights
Click to see story on Lincoln Journal StarU.S. fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers
Click to see story on Spectrum Local NewsAmerican Airlines just got fined $50 million for mistreating passengers with wheelchairs
Click to see story on QuartzUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on KESQ‘I felt like luggage’: American Airlines fined $50 million for violating disabled passengers’ rights
Click to see story on KIONUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs – KYMAcircle-arrowPlay ButtonStop Buttonchevron-rightchevron-leftchevron-upsearchwarningchevron-left-skinnychevron-right-skinnyxclockcalendarplay-buttoncancel-c
Click to see story on KYMAUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Financial PostHeadline Unavailable
Click to see story on Al ArabiyaAmerican Airlines fined $50 million for violating rules for passengers with disabilities
Click to see story on La Nación, Grupo NaciónUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Winnipeg SunRight
Untracked Bias
American Airlines Fined Record $50 Million for Disability Violations
Click to see story on DevdiscourseUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on The Economic TimesUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on WBRZAmerican Airlines fined $50 million for its treatment of passengers with disabilities
Click to see story on KPBSAmerican Airlines Fined $50 Million for ‘Serious Violations’ of Disability Rules
Click to see story on SkiftAmerican to pay $50 million fine for its treatment of disabled passengers
Click to see story on News Talk 94.1/AM 1600American Airlines fined $50 million for mishandling wheelchairs and failing to assist disabled
Click to see story on BreezyScrollAmerican Airlines fined $50 million for mishandling wheelchairs, injuring passengers
Click to see story on Latest For MeAmerican Airlines’ mistreatment of passengers with disabilities earns them a $50 million fine – CEO North America
Click to see story on Chief Executive Officer North AmericaUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on fitzhugh.caAmerican Airlines fined $50 million for its treatment of passengers with disabilities – TPR: The Public’s Radio
Click to see story on thepublicsradio.orgDepartment of Transportation Fines American Airlines $50 Million for Mistreating Disabled Travelers – TravelPulse – WiredFocus
Click to see story on wiredfocus.comAmerican Airlines fined $50 million for its treatment of passengers with disabilities
Click to see story on blkalerts.comAmerican Airlines fined $50 million for its treatment of passengers with disabilities
Click to see story on kios.orgAmerican Airlines fined $50mn for breaking disability laws
Click to see story on airlinergs.comThe investigation focused on incidents that occurred between 2019 and 2023, and was partly triggered by formal complaints from Paralyzed Veterans of America.
One incident that raised particular concern took place at Miami International Airport last year, when workers mishandled a wheelchair, sending it crashing down a baggage ramp. The incident was caught on camera and added to mounting scrutiny of the airline’s practices.
Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.
Point phone camera here
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg criticized American Airlines, calling it one of the worst offenders. He said the problems identified were not unique to American, noting that investigations into other airlines were underway.
“The era of tolerating poor treatment of wheelchair users on airplanes is over,” Buttigieg said in a statement, signaling a stronger stance from the department on this issue.
In its defense, American Airlines stated that it had made significant investments to improve how it handles wheelchairs and assists passengers with disabilities.
The airline said it spent over $175 million this year on training, infrastructure, and equipment, and claimed it had reduced its mishandling rate by 20%.
As a result of these improvements and its efforts to compensate affected passengers, the airline received a $25 million credit against the fine.
Between 2019 and 2023, American Airlines mishandled more than 10,000 wheelchairs and mobility scooters. Southwest Airlines reported more incidents, while Spirit Airlines had the highest percentage of errors in some years.
Disability advocates, including Carl Blake from Paralyzed Veterans of America, applauded the government’s action. Blake said the enforcement showed that passengers with mobility disabilities deserve to travel with the same level of safety and dignity as everyone else.
Get up to speed on the stories leading the day every weekday morning. Sign up for the newsletter today!
Learn more about our emails. Unsubscribe anytime.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
Looking ahead, the Department of Transportation is finalizing new rules to protect passengers with disabilities.
These rules would make it illegal for airlines to damage or delay the return of wheelchairs and would require annual training for employees who handle mobility devices. While no timeline has been given for the finalization of these rules, it is clear that airlines are under increasing pressure to improve how they serve passengers with disabilities.
Lauren Taylor
THE U.S. GOVERNMENT IS HITTING AMERICAN AIRLINES WITH A 50-MILLION-DOLLAR-FINE FOR NEGLECTING TO PROPERLY ASSISTS PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES AND MISHANDLING WHEELCHAIRS OVER A FIVE-YEAR PERIOD.
THE FINE FOLLOWS AN INVESTIGATION BY THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT, WHICH REVEALED THAT, IN SOME CASES, WHEELCHAIR USERS WERE EVEN INJURED, THOUGH AN EXACT NUMBER WASN’T DISCLOSED.
THE INVESTIGATION FOCUSED ON INCIDENTS THAT OCCURRED BETWEEN 20-19 AND 20-23. THE CASE WAS PARTLY SPARKED BY FORMAL COMPLAINTS FILED BY THE PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA.
ONE PARTICULARLY ALARMING EVENT WAS CAUGHT ON CAMERA AT MIAMI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT LAST YEAR, WHERE WORKERS MISHANDLED A WHEELCHAIR, SENDING IT CRASHING DOWN A BAGGAGE RAMP.
TRANSPORTATION SECRETARY PETE BUTTIGIEG DIDN’T HOLD BACK IN HIS RESPONSE, CALLING AMERICAN AIRLINES ONE OF THE WORST OFFENDERS. HE SAID THE PROBLEMS UNCOVERED WEREN’T UNIQUE TO AMERICAN, WITH INVESTIGATIONS INTO OTHER AIRLINES ALREADY UNDERWAY.
HE MADE IT CLEAR THE DEPARTMENT IS TAKING A FIRM STANCE, STATING THAT “THE ERA OF TOLERATING POOR TREATMENT OF WHEELCHAIR USERS ON AIRPLANES IS OVER.”
IN ITS DEFENSE, AMERICAN AIRLINES SAYS IT’S ALREADY MADE MAJOR INVESTMENTS TO IMPROVE HOW IT HANDLES WHEELCHAIRS AND ASSISTS PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES, SPENDING OVER 175-MILLION-DOLLARS JUST THIS YEAR ON TRAINING, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND EQUIPMENT.
THEY’VE REPORTEDLY CUT THE MISHANDLING RATE BY 20-PERCENT, AND ARE BEING CREDITED 25-MILLION OF THEIR FINE FOR THOSE IMPROVEMENTS AND COMPENSATING PASSENGERS.
AMERICAN AIRLINES MISHANDLED MORE THAN TEN-THOUSAND WHEELCHAIRS AND MOBILITY SCOOTERS DURING THE PERIOD IN QUESTION.
ONLY SOUTHWEST AIRLINES HAD MORE INCIDENTS, WHILE SPIRIT AIRLINES HELD THE DUBIOUS HONOR OF THE HIGHEST PERCENTAGE OF ERRORS IN SOME YEARS.
DISABILITY ADVOCATES, LIKE CARL BLAKE FROM PARALYZED VETERANS OF AMERICA, ARE APPLAUDING THE MOVE.
BLAKE SAID THIS ENFORCEMENT SHOWS THE AIRLINE INDUSTRY THAT PASSENGERS WITH MOBILITY DISABILITIES DESERVE TO TRAVEL WITH THE SAME LEVEL OF SAFETY AND DIGNITY AS EVERYONE ELSE.
LOOKING AHEAD, THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IS ALSO FINALIZING NEW RULES TO PROTECT PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES.
THESE RULES WOULD MAKE IT ILLEGAL FOR AIRLINES TO DAMAGE OR DELAY THE RETURN OF WHEELCHAIRS, AND WOULD REQUIRE ANNUAL TRAINING FOR AIRLINE EMPLOYEES WHO HANDLE THESE MOBILITY DEVICES.
NO TIMELINE WAS GIVEN FOR THE FINALIZATION OF THESE RULES, BUT IT’S CLEAR THAT THE PRESSURE IS ON AIRLINES TO IMPROVE HOW THEY SERVE PASSENGERS WITH DISABILITIES.
FOR SAN, I’M LAUREN TAYLOR
Media Landscape
See who else is reporting on this story and which side of the political spectrum they lean. To read other sources, click on the plus signs below. Learn more about this dataBias Distribution
Left
US fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Associated Press NewsUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Hindustan TimesUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on abc News‘I felt like luggage’: American Airlines fined $50 million for violating disabled passengers’ rights
Click to see story on CNNAmerican Airlines to pay record $50 million fine over its treatment of disabled passengers
Click to see story on CBS NewsUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on The Toronto StarUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Coast ReporterAmerican Airlines fined $50 million for its treatment of passengers with disabilities
Click to see story on nprUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Rocky Mountain OutlookUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Star TribuneAmerican Airlines fined $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on NBC NewsUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Prince George CitizenUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Times UnionUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on SF GateUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on San Antonio Express-NewsUS Fines American Airlines Record $50 Million Over Treatment of Disabled Passengers
Click to see story on U.S. NewsUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on SF ChronicleUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Bowen Island UndercurrentUS fines American Airlines record $50 million over treatment of disabled passengers
Click to see story on ReutersU.S. fines American Airlines record $50 million over treatment of disabled passengers
Click to see story on CNBC‘I felt like luggage’: American Airlines fined $50 million for violating disabled passengers’ rights
Click to see story on KVIAUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Winnipeg Free PressAmerican Airlines hit with $50M fine, record for disability issues
Click to see story on The Business JournalsUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Washington Top NewsUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on WPLGUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on WKMGAmerican Airlines fined $50 million for mishandling disabled passengers, wheelchairs
Click to see story on Portland Press Herald‘I felt like luggage’: American Airlines fined $50 million for violating disabled passengers’ rights
Click to see story on Lincoln Journal StarU.S. fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers
Click to see story on Spectrum Local NewsAmerican Airlines just got fined $50 million for mistreating passengers with wheelchairs
Click to see story on QuartzUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on KESQ‘I felt like luggage’: American Airlines fined $50 million for violating disabled passengers’ rights
Click to see story on KIONUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs – KYMAcircle-arrowPlay ButtonStop Buttonchevron-rightchevron-leftchevron-upsearchwarningchevron-left-skinnychevron-right-skinnyxclockcalendarplay-buttoncancel-c
Click to see story on KYMAUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Financial PostHeadline Unavailable
Click to see story on Al ArabiyaAmerican Airlines fined $50 million for violating rules for passengers with disabilities
Click to see story on La Nación, Grupo NaciónUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on Winnipeg SunRight
Untracked Bias
American Airlines Fined Record $50 Million for Disability Violations
Click to see story on DevdiscourseUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on The Economic TimesUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on WBRZAmerican Airlines fined $50 million for its treatment of passengers with disabilities
Click to see story on KPBSAmerican Airlines Fined $50 Million for ‘Serious Violations’ of Disability Rules
Click to see story on SkiftAmerican to pay $50 million fine for its treatment of disabled passengers
Click to see story on News Talk 94.1/AM 1600American Airlines fined $50 million for mishandling wheelchairs and failing to assist disabled
Click to see story on BreezyScrollAmerican Airlines fined $50 million for mishandling wheelchairs, injuring passengers
Click to see story on Latest For MeAmerican Airlines’ mistreatment of passengers with disabilities earns them a $50 million fine – CEO North America
Click to see story on Chief Executive Officer North AmericaUS fines American Airlines $50 million over mishandling of disabled passengers and wheelchairs
Click to see story on fitzhugh.caAmerican Airlines fined $50 million for its treatment of passengers with disabilities – TPR: The Public’s Radio
Click to see story on thepublicsradio.orgDepartment of Transportation Fines American Airlines $50 Million for Mistreating Disabled Travelers – TravelPulse – WiredFocus
Click to see story on wiredfocus.comAmerican Airlines fined $50 million for its treatment of passengers with disabilities
Click to see story on blkalerts.comAmerican Airlines fined $50 million for its treatment of passengers with disabilities
Click to see story on kios.orgAmerican Airlines fined $50mn for breaking disability laws
Click to see story on airlinergs.comVOTE WITH THE UNBIASED, STRAIGHT FACTS.™
We promise you context and clarity when it matters the most!
Straight to your inbox.
By entering your email, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and acknowledge the Privacy Policy.
MOST POPULAR
-
RFK Jr. talks potential role in Trump admin, says he won’t take away vaccines
Watch 1:514 hrs ago -
Malibu, Ventura County fires grow amid strong winds and dry conditions
Watch 1:085 hrs ago -
Arizona voters approve controversial state-level immigration enforcement
Watch 1:105 hrs ago -
Russia issues mass grave manual, highlighting heavy toll in Ukraine war
Watch 1:496 hrs ago