Reps. Titus, Cohen Introduce Legislation to Protect the Rights of Airplane Passengers with Disabilities

WASHINGTON – Today Congresswoman Dina Titus (D-NV), a senior member of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation, introduced the Air Carrier Access Amendments Act with Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN). This legislation would protect and expand the rights of airplane passengers with disabilities, improve air travel safety, and close service gaps that passengers with disabilities frequently encounter in air travel. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) will introduce companion legislation in the Senate. "People with disabilities shouldn't have to face extra obstacles when they travel," said Rep. Titus. "They deserve equal access to our airports and airplanes. This legislation will expand their rights and safety while making air travel more convenient and accommodating for all." “This legislation protects the rights of the flying public with disabilities and will improve overall safety for passengers,” said Rep. Cohen. “As a polio survivor with post-polio syndrome, I am proud to support legislation that seeks to make travel more accommodating for those living with disabilities.” “Every American deserves to be treated with dignity and feel safe when they are traveling, but for far too long, passengers with disabilities, including our veterans, have been left behind. I have heard firsthand from Wisconsinites who’ve had their wheelchairs – the tool that lets them live a free and independent life – damaged by airlines, and it’s simply unacceptable,” said Senator Baldwin. “Our bill will ensure every American, no matter their ability, gets the respect they deserve when traveling.” “No traveler should face barriers while traveling because of their disability,” said Senator Duckworth. “I hear so many frustrating stories from those who have experienced their wheelchair getting damaged, assistance being delayed and their needs for onboard accommodations just outright ignored—and it has to stop. Our legislation would help protect the rights of passengers with disabilities and provide them with the support they need when airlines fall short.” This legislation is supported by the following organizations: Paralyzed Veterans of America, Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA), American Cochlear Implant Alliance (ACI Alliance), Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF), American Legion, I AM ALS, American Council of the Blind, Cure SMA, United Spinal Association, Periodic Paralysis Association, Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation, National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Student Veterans of America (SVA), The Arc “Paralyzed Veterans of America has championed this issue for decades because our members, veterans with spinal cord injuries and diseases, like MS and ALS, know firsthand what happens when civil rights protections lack real enforcement. The Air Carrier Access Amendments Act closes the accountability gap that has allowed these failures to persist for far too long. This is exactly the kind of reform PVA has fought for, and we are fully committed to working alongside Rep. Titus to get it across the finish line,” said Heather Ansley, Esq., MSW, Chief Policy Officer, Paralyzed Veterans of America. “Congresswoman Titus is a longtime leader for air travel rights for wheelchair users, like me. She’s not only notched major wins in federal law for our community, but she's also taken the time to understand, on a personal level, what wheelchair users go through just to get on an airplane,” said Seth McBride, Senior Director of Marketing and Communications at United Spinal Association and a Paralympic gold medalist. “When it comes to winning access to safety, to getting the same services and same travel experiences as everyone else, Rep. Dina Titus has our back. When I experienced my own air travel hell, she listened to me one-on-one to understand my frustrations with the system, including how difficult it was to obtain proper compensation for mistreatment by the airline. And that’s what’s at the heart of her bill, the Air Carrier Access Amendments Act of 2026 , safety and fairness. When the system does not work for us, we should be able to have a court hear us. That’s not partisan politics, that’s justice.” Original co-sponsors of the Air Carrier Access Amendments Act include Congresswoman Titus, Congressman Cohen, Congressman André Carson (D-IN), Congresswoman Julia Brownley (D-CA), and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC). Full bill text can be found here . Background: For 40 years, the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) has prohibited discrimination based on disability in air travel. Despite this progress, too many travelers with disabilities encounter significant barriers, such as damaged assistive devices and wheelchairs, delayed assistance, unclear communications, and lack of onboard accommodations. The Air Carrier Access Amendments Act will protect and expand the rights of air passengers with disabilities and improve air travel safety by: Requiring the Secretary of Transportation to assess civil penalties for Air Carrier Access Act violations and refer patterns of discrimination to the Department of Justice; Granting individuals with disabilities a private right of action in civil court; and Expressing a sense of Congress that legislation is necessary to ensure that individuals with disabilities have adequate remedies available when air carriers violate the ACAA. ###