Know Your Rights

Airline Passengers with Disabilities BILL OF RIGHTS
DOT will update the Bill of Rights as regulations change.

1. The Right to Be Treated with Dignity and Respect.
2. The Right to Receive Information About Services and Aircraft Capabilities and Limitations
3. The Right to Receive Information in an Accessible Format.
4. The Right to Accessible Airport Facilities.
5. The Right to Assistance at Airports.
6. The Right to Assistance on the Aircraft.
7. The Right to Travel with an Assistive Device or Service Animal.
8. The Right to Receive Seating Accommodations.
9. The Right to Accessible Aircraft Features.
10. The Right to Resolution of a Disability-Related Issue.
    
    

“The Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) is a law that makes it illegal for airlines to discriminate against passengers because of their disability. The Department of Transportation (DOT) is responsible for enforcing the ACAA and its implementing disability regulation, which apply to all flights to, from, or within the United States.
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The disability regulation requires airlines to provide passengers with disabilities many types of assistance, including prompt wheelchair or other guided assistance to board, deplane, or connect to another flight; seating accommodation assistance that meets passengers’ disability-related needs; and assistance with the loading and stowing of assistive devices. The assistance airlines provide to passengers with disabilities must be performed in a safe and dignified manner….”
Source: Traveling with a Disability | US Department of Transportation

Wheelchair and Guided Assistance | US Department of Transportation 

• Leaving a Passenger with a Disability Unattended
  When an airline is providing assistance to a passenger who is not independently mobile because of a disability, the airline must not leave the passenger unattended for more than 30 minutes. This requirement applies even if another person is accompanying the passenger, unless the passenger explicitly states that it is okay for the airline to leave.
  Source: https://www.transportation.gov/individuals/aviation-consumer-protection/wheelchair-and-guided-assistance​
  • ​Assistance Throughout the Airport
  • Assistance in Key Function Areas
  • Assistance with Baggage
  • Leaving a Passenger with a Disability Unattended
  • Things to Know
  • Tips

DOT Traveling with a Disability  
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DOT Aviation Consumer Protection website 

Air Carriers Access Act  
Title 14 → Chapter II → Subchapter D → Part 382
​NONDISCRIMINATION ON THE BASIS OF DISABILITY IN AIR TRAVEL 

What to Do If You Have a Problem 
When should I contact a complaint resolution official (CRO)?

• If you encounter a disability-related issue related to airline accommodations or services, you can request to speak with the airline’s Complaint Resolution Official (CRO) or a supervisor.  A CRO is the airline’s expert on disability-related issues in air travel and has the authority to resolve complaints on behalf of the airline.  Every airline must have a CRO available either by telephone or in person during operating hours.

When should I contact the DOT Aviation Consumer Protection Division Disability Hotline?

• If you have a complaint outside or beyond the control of the CRO, you can call the DOT Aviation Consumer Protection Division’s Disability Hotline at 1-800-778-4838.  Aside from providing general information, DOT can also assist with disability-related issues in “real time.”
• The DOT Aviation Consumer Protection Division’s Disability Hotline is staffed from M-F, 9AM – 5PM, ET when the Federal Government is open. 

Who do I contact for a security-related disability issue?

• If you have a security concern, call TSA Cares at (855) 787-2227.  You can discuss questions/concerns about security screening prior to arriving at the airport.​

Updated 1/17/2026

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