Air Carrier Access Act

What the law requires

The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) of 1986, implemented through Department of Transportation (DOT) regulations (14 CFR Part 382), prohibits US and foreign airlines operating scheduled service in the United States from discriminating against passengers with disabilities.

Key requirements include:

Boarding and deplaning: Airlines must provide ground wheelchairs, boarding chairs, and assistance to passengers who need it. Airports above a certain size must have level-entry jetway boarding or, where steps are unavoidable, an accessible lift. Airlines must provide an aisle chair for passengers who cannot walk onto the aircraft.

Wheelchair handling: This is an area of significant concern and ongoing litigation. Airlines must return gate-checked wheelchairs at the gate, not at baggage claim. Power wheelchairs must be returned in the same condition they were checked in. Damaged or lost wheelchairs have been a major issue, with Congressional attention in recent years.

Seating: Passengers with disabilities are entitled to seat assignments that accommodate their needs (aisle seat, bulkhead, proximity to lavatory). Airlines must not place passengers with disabilities in seats with less than the required minimum leg room.

Assistive devices: Passengers may bring FAA-approved medical devices, including portable oxygen concentrators, powered wheelchairs (with battery requirements), hearing aids, and other AT. Airlines cannot charge extra fees for stowing assistive devices.

Service animals: DOT issued new rules in 2021 requiring airlines to accept only trained psychiatric service animals and trained service dogs (not emotional support animals). Service dogs must be properly trained and the passenger may be asked to provide documentation.

In-flight entertainment: Airlines must caption new IFE content, and accessible entertainment options must be equivalent for passengers with disabilities.

Who it protects

All passengers with disabilities on US airlines and on foreign airlines operating flights to and from the United States. The ACAA does not require disability documentation; passengers self-identify their needs.

Who must comply

US certificated air carriers operating scheduled service and foreign air carriers conducting scheduled service to or from the US. Small commuter carriers have some exemptions but must still provide basic non-discrimination protections.

What it does NOT cover (common misunderstandings)

The ACAA does not apply to airports themselves — airport accessibility is governed by the ADA and the Architectural Barriers Act. Airlines are responsible for the boarding process; airports for the terminal.

The ACAA does not guarantee that every seat will accommodate every wheelchair. Many commercial aircraft cabins remain inaccessible to passengers who cannot transfer from their wheelchair, which is a major ongoing advocacy issue. The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 directed the FAA and DOT to study in-cabin wheelchair accommodation.

How to enforce your rights

File a complaint with the DOT Aviation Consumer Protection Division. For immediate assistance during travel, ask for the airline's Complaint Resolution Official (CRO) — airlines are required to have one available at every airport they serve. The CRO has authority to resolve disability-related complaints on the spot. You can also file a complaint with the DOT after your trip.

Recent updates

Wheelchair damage and mishandling reached crisis levels in media coverage from 2022–2024, with data showing airlines damaging or losing hundreds of chairs per month. The ACAA Amendments included in the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024 increased penalties for wheelchair damage and directed DOT to set stronger standards for wheelchair handling. DOT is also working on a rule that would require airlines to make lavatories on single-aisle aircraft more accessible over time.