New rule announced by DOT to increase protection for air passengers with disabilities

AIRLINE INDUSTRY INFORMATION-(C)1997-2008 M2 COMMUNICATIONS LTD

A new rule issued today (7 May) by the US Department of Transportation (DOT) is to offer additional protections against discrimination for people with disabilities travelling by air.

The new ruling reportedly strengthens the existing regulation implementing the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) and extends it to foreign airlines.

The DOT said that the new rule will apply to foreign air carriers operating a flight that begins or ends in the US and applies to US air carrier operations worldwide.

Under the new rule, the DOT will be better able to take enforcement action against a foreign carrier if it discriminates against an individual because of his or her disability on flights to or from the US.

The new rule will reportedly make it easier for passengers to use medical oxygen during flights and will provide greater accommodations for passengers with hearing impairments by requiring airlines to include captions for the hearing-impaired in its safety and informational videos.

In addition airlines must also provide the same information to hearing- and vision-impaired passengers that it provides to other passengers in airport terminals or on the aircraft such as information on boarding, flight delays, schedule changes, weather conditions at the flights destination, connecting gate assignments, checking and claiming of baggage and emergencies.

The new rule will be effective in one year.

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