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For years, access to the nation’s air travel system
for persons with disabilities was an area of substantial dissatisfaction,
with both passengers and the airline industry recognizing
the need for major improvement. In 1986 Congress passed the
Air Carrier Access Act, requiring the Department of Transportation
(DOT) to develop new regulations which ensure that persons
with disabilities will be treated without discrimination in
a way consistent with the safe carriage of all passengers.
These regulations were published in March 1990.
The DOT regulations, referred to here as the Air Carrier
Access rules, represent a major stride forward in improving
air travel for persons with disabilities. The rules clearly
explain the responsibilities of the traveler, the carriers,
the airport operators, and contractors, who collectively make
up the system which moves over one million passengers per
day. (These rules do not apply to foreign airlines.)
The Air Carrier Access rules are designed to minimize the
special problems that travelers with disabilities face as
they negotiate their way through the nation’s complex
air travel system from origin to destination. This is achieved:
- By recognizing that the physical barriers encountered
by passengers with disabilities can frequently be overcome
by employing simple changes in layout and technology.
- By adopting the principle that many difficulties confronting
passengers with hearing or vision impairments will be relieved
if they are provided access to the same information that
is available to all other passengers.
- Through training of all air travel personnel who come
in day-to-day contact with persons with disabilities, to
understand their needs and how they can be accommodated
quickly, safely, and with dignity.
To read this excellent
guide, produced by the FAA, please click here: http://www.dotcr.ost.dot.gov/documents/acc/horizons.pdf
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