Paralyzed Veterans of America Calls for Airlines to Fully Implement

Groundbreaking Disability Training as Landmark Rule Takes Effect June 17

WASHINGTON, June 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- After years of Paralyzed Veterans of America's advocacy, airlines will soon be required to ensure staff who physically assist passengers with mobility disabilities and handle their devices have received hands-on training and assessments. On June 17, 2026, a provision of the Department of Transportation's Rule "Ensuring Safe Accommodations for Air Travelers with Disabilities Using Wheelchairs" takes effect. PVA is calling on airlines to fully adhere to the new training requirements, and on DOT to enforce them with the seriousness they deserve.

Air travel is a basic civil right. Yet, nearly 40 years after the Air Carrier Access Act was signed, it remains difficult and dangerous for passengers with mobility disabilities, particularly wheelchair users. Airline staff and contractors have often lacked proper training to safely assist passengers with significant mobility needs, leading to injuries, loss of independence, and, in the most tragic cases, loss of life. Furthermore, tens of thousands of wheelchairs and mobility devices are damaged, delayed, or mishandled by airlines every year.

"For too long, passengers with complex mobility disabilities have been forced to accept that flying means risking their safety and independence," said Robert Thomas, U.S. Army veteran and National President of Paralyzed Veterans of America. "When airlines fail to properly assist passengers or mishandle their equipment, it is a failure to uphold their fundamental civil rights. The current system leaves too many violations unaddressed and gives airlines little motivation to proactively prioritize accessibility. Catastrophically disabled veterans who sacrificed their bodies for this country deserve better, and so do the 60 million Americans living with disabilities."

Airlines must treat June 17 as their obligation, not a compliance formality. Proactive investment in training and safety is the only acceptable standard moving forward.

Thomas continued, "Without meaningful enforcement, civil rights laws are simply promises on paper. DOT must provide rigorous oversight and ensure that noncompliance carries real consequences."

For 80 years, PVA has led the fight for accessible air travel for veterans with spinal cord injuries and diseases, like MS and ALS, and all people with disabilities. DOT's new rule exists in part because PVA filed a petition with DOT in 2022 and pushed for its finalization. PVA also successfully advocated for training provisions in the 2024 FAA Reauthorization Act. As the leading advocate for accessible air travel for veterans and people with disabilities, PVA continues to push for stronger protections and accountability so that everyone can fully participate in life without fear.

Visit PVA.org/AirTravel to know your rights, learn more about PVA's accessible air travel advocacy, and sign PVA's accessible air travel petition. To continue the conversation online, use #PushingAccessForward.

About Paralyzed Veterans of America  
Paralyzed Veterans of America is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and the only congressionally chartered veterans service organization dedicated solely for the benefit and representation of veterans with spinal cord injury or diseases. The organization ensures veterans receive the benefits earned through service to our nation; monitors their care in VA spinal cord injury units; and funds research and education in the search for a cure and improved care for individuals with paralysis. 

As a life-long partner and advocate for veterans and all people with disabilities, PVA also develops training and career services, works to ensure accessibility in public buildings and spaces, and provides health and rehabilitation opportunities through sports and recreation. With more than 70 offices and 33 chapters, Paralyzed Veterans of America serves veterans, their families, and their caregivers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Learn more at PVA.org.  

Contact: Kristina Packard
[email protected]
(703) 282-8121 cell

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SOURCE Paralyzed Veterans of America