The U.S. Department of Transportation has assessed a $50 million penalty against American Airlines, claiming that the airline violated the Air Carrier Access Act by "failing to protect airline passengers with disabilities between 2019 and 2023."
The DOT said its investigation uncovered cases of "unsafe physical assistance that at times resulted in injuries and undignified treatment of wheelchair users, in addition to repeated failures to provide prompt wheelchair assistance."
American also mishandled thousands of wheelchairs by damaging them or delaying their return, the DOT said.
American will be required to pay a $25 million fine to the U.S. Treasury. The other $25 million is to be used for investments in equipment to reduce incidents of wheelchair damage, investment in a wheelchair-tagging system to reduce incidents of wheelchair delay, deployment of employees to coordinate wheelchair-handling systemwide at large airports, and compensation for affected passengers during the timeframe covered by DOT's investigation.
If the expenditures are not made, the additional $25 million will be paid as a fine to the U.S. Treasury, the DOT said.
In the consent order, American maintained that it committed no violations and only agreed to the penalty for settlement purposes.
American said it "respectfully disagrees with the DOT's interpretation of many aspects of the Air Carrier Access Act. American reserves all rights to challenge the Department's legal interpretations and factual assertions in the future, including with respect to rulemaking."
American said that in 2024 alone it is spending in excess of $175 million on services, infrastructure, training and new technology to support passengers who use mobility devices when traveling.