Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorized with Accessible Air Travel Provisions
President Biden has signed a five-year reauthorization of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which includes several provisions to make air travel more accessible for people who have disabilities. The bill's passage follows a 387-26 vote in the U.S. House of Representatives and 88-4 vote in the U.S. Senate. The legislation includes provisions the MS community has been advocating for including training requirements for assisting passengers with limited mobility and properly stowing assistive devices; analyzing and improving the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) complaint process and funding; addressing the need for more access standards and accessibility of inflight entertainment, as well as improved access to airline websites, applications, and information communication technologies; and increasing access to seating accommodations. The bill also includes the requirement for continued study into safe and secure in-cabin wheelchair tie-down systems, and if technically feasible, a study into their economic and financial feasibility; the need for DOT to perform a more in-depth analysis of airline-reported mishandled wheelchair data; and reauthorization of the Air Carrier Access Act Advisory (ACAA) Committee, as well as a requirement for the ACAA Committee to ensure safe transport for assistive devices powered by lithium-ion batteries. In addition, it also includes a pilot grant program to increase airport accessibility, new requirements related to the availability of onboard wheelchairs, expansion of the Advanced Materials Center of Excellence to address safe and accessible air travel for passengers with disabilities, and the creation of a known service animal pilot program.This bill is in part due to the efforts of MS Activists, who have advocated for many of the provisions included in the FAA reauthorization. Accessible air travel was one of the key issues during the 2023 Public Policy Conference, where MS activists held more than 200 in-person meetings with Members of Congress. This was supported by more than 3,000 messages sent in support of accessible air travel. MS Activists continued to weigh in with their elected officials on accessible air travel throughout the legislative process and have eagerly awaited this reauthorization. Additionally, the National MS Society has been working in coalition with several other disability rights groups on FAA reauthorization. The coalition supported and provided feedback on many of the disability-related provisions included in the bill, weighed in with Congressional offices and Congressional committees during the process, and testified before Congress on the importance of accessible air travel.
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