AirTran Penalized For Failing to Assist Disabled Passengers

AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of AirTran Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AAI) and a Fortune 1000 company, was recently fined by the U.S. Government for violating rules protecting air travelers with disabilities. The civil penalty, assessed by the Department of Transportation (DOT), amounted to $500,000, of which $200,000 may be used to improve the company’s services to disabled passengers beyond what is required by law.

“People with disabilities have the right to expect fair treatment when they fly, and we will continue to take enforcement action when their rights are violated,” explained U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.

Mandating air carriers to provide assistance to passengers with disabilities in boarding and deplaning aircrafts, the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 requires that wheelchairs, ramps, mechanical lifts or service personnel be employed whenever necessary. The U.S. Department of Transportation rules also require airlines to respond to any written complaint raised against the company’s treatment of disabled passengers, within 30 days. The rules state that the carrier should specifically address the issues raised in the complaint. Additionally, airlines are required to submit annual reports to the Department on disability-related complaints from passengers, stating the type of disability and nature of the complaint.

An investigation by the Department of Transportation’s Aviation Enforcement Office of disability complaints filed with AirTran and DOT revealed several violations of the requirement for boarding assistance. Furthermore, the carrier’s complaint files showed that it frequently failed to provide adequate written answers to passenger complaints. The Aviation Enforcement Office also found that AirTran was not able to properly categorize disability complaints in reports filed with the Department.

According to the DOT, up to $60,000 of the $500,000 fine may be used by AirTrans to establish a council that will help the company comply with federal disability rules and hire a manager for disability accommodations. Up to $140,000 may be used to develop an automated wheelchair tracking system at the airline’s major hub airports within one year. The tracking system will be used to generate real-time reports of the carrier’s wheelchair assistance performance.

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