The FAA Reauthorization Act represents a significant advancement for accessible air travel., Tim Dixon

The US House of Representatives have approved the FAA Reauthorization Act 2024 with the bill providing funding for the next 5 years and introduces several accessibility measures for Wheelchair users. All Wheels Up, a not-for-profit organisation that funds research and development into accessible air travel is celebrating the bill.

The legislation encompasses multiple provisions that will impact wheelchair users and individuals with disabilities.

It includes the expansion of the Advanced Materials Center of Excellence, which broadens the Center's mandate to include research and development in aircraft structural integrity and passenger safety. This will also cover the advancement of safe and accessible air travel for individuals with disabilities, including the development of materials necessary for secure wheelchair restraint systems on commercial flights.
The bill outlines a 'roadmap' for the potential integration of in-cabin wheelchair restraint systems and mandates a study into the economic and financial viability of providing wheelchair spaces on aircraft. The Secretary of Transportation is tasked with producing a 'strategic roadmap' within one year, detailing the safe implementation of wheelchair restraint systems in commercial aircraft cabins.
Should the feasibility of wheelchair restraint systems be confirmed, the Secretary of Transportation will supervise a study on the economic and financial aspects for airlines to incorporate wheelchair spaces on their flights. This study will evaluate factors such as cost, demand, operational logistics, and other relevant considerations.
The bill also sets training standards for airline staff and contractors who assist passengers using wheelchairs. The U.S. government will require that all airline personnel or contractors assisting wheelchair users in the United States undergo appropriate training.
Although the exact details of the training program are still to be finalized, it will include guidance on assisting with wheelchair and seat transfers and on following instructions from passengers, as stipulated in the legislation.

All Wheels Up has long urged that airport and airline personnel should be specifically instructed on how to facilitate wheelchair users transferring from a custom seat to an aisle chair and then to their designated cabin seat. AWU says that training also needs to include listening to the needs and concerns of passengers who know their abilities, disability, and what is safest for them during travel.

https://www.aircraftinteriorsinternational.com/news/accessibility/the-faa-reauthorization-act-is-good-news-for-accessible-air-travel.html

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