Some Wheelchair Users May Be Able to Fly in Their Chairs by 2025

Delta Air Lines, the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) recently confirmed that they are working on allowing wheelchair users to fly in their own wheelchairs, potentially by the end of 2025.

HomeCare asked Brad Meier, product manager at Quantum Rehab, what the move could mean for the mobility industry.

HomeCare (HC): How has the mobility community/industry reacted to the news that this process might begin happening within the next year or so? 

Brad Meier: We are very excited to see this come to fruition since this subject matter is near and dear to our hearts, as well as a high-level focus for us. We have witnessed so many unfortunate situations (that) clients have had with airline travel and their power mobility devices, and want to do whatever we can as a mobility manufacturer to be part of the resolution.

HC: What are the benefits of allowing people with wheelchairs the ability to fly in their own chairs?

Meier: There are several physical and psychological benefits. Wheelchair clients already experience a large amount of justified anxiety when flying with their equipment, from not knowing if their chair is secure/protected in the cargo area, to required seating positions/needs, to (the) ability to have independent function. Flying while seated in their own chairs would be the most ideal solution to this challenge. Although this would take several modifications to aircrafts, a client being able to sit in their own chair would reap so many positive benefits for them.

HC: This news came out around the same time the DOT issued a $50 million penalty against American Airlines, citing that it found the airline failed to provide safe, dignified and prompt wheelchair assistance and mishandled passengers’ wheelchairs. Do you think a penalty like that will influence airlines to take more precautions when handling travelers’ wheelchairs/power chairs? Why?

Meier: We would hope so, but it goes beyond getting fined or reimbursing a client for a damaged chair. It’s about the client at the present time. If a chair is mishandled/damaged during flights (which happens more times than not), the airline needs to understand the urgency of the situation and have better processes and procedures in place to resolve it immediately. This isn’t the same as losing someone’s luggage—it’s about taking away a person’s independence and mobility. We have seen many awful situations where clients’ trips are ruined due to (an airlines’) lack of understanding consequences around damaging someone’s mobility device.

HC: What would go into making a wheelchair-accessible plane or seats that would ensure all wheelchair/power chair users could use the feature?

Meier: The biggest items are space for the wheelchair user to have their wheelchair/power chair secured in the airplane and (the) size of the wheelchair/power chair itself. Also, if the chair has power positioning, there needs to be enough space to allow the user to perform their scheduled pressure management plan.

HC: Is there any drawback to the proposed feature? 

Meier: Not all airplanes will be able to accommodate a wheelchair/power chair, due to the size of the cabin. But airlines can be more proactive and implement requirements for their employees on how to secure mobility devices by working with manufacturers, the clinical community and the clients themselves. Sometimes taking the extra time to understand someone’s needs and how their device works can make all the difference in keeping that client and the wheelchair safe.

HC: Would this potentially influence the way mobility companies design future mobility products? 

Meier: Yes, it should, and we would certainly welcome that as a manufacturer. We are customer-centric in the design of our devices, and we would love nothing more than to continue to work together to resolve/prevent these issues. Airline travel is always at the top of mind when developing any new mobility devices.

HC: Despite the news, it could still take years for most planes to be equipped with the capability for wheelchair users to be able to travel in their wheelchairs on commercial flights regularly. During that time, what type of training should Delta and other airlines provide to their workers to make traveling more accessible and to decrease damage done to wheelchairs/power chairs?

Meier: Wheelchair manufacturers and providers have been working very hard over the years to help solve these situations, but we need the continued cooperation of the airlines so we can all work together to come up with requirements and guidelines for air travel with mobility equipment while we wait for the planes to be equipped/modified.