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Toll-Free Hotline for Air Travelers With Disabilities
The
U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) toll-free hotline is a
must-know resource for air travelers with disabilities. With the height
of the travel season in full swing, this hotline can help resolve
disability-related air travel problems.
The hotline, in
operation since August 2002, is available seven days a week from 7 A.M.
to 11 P.M. Eastern standard time. "Many disabled air travelers are not
aware of their rights and the hotline, in part, exists as an
educational service to inform air travelers with disabilities about
their rights under the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) and the
Department's implementing regulations 14 CFR Part 382," according to
the DOT.
The hotline also assists air travelers with
disabilities in resolving real-time or upcoming issues with air
carriers. Among the issues hotline duty officers have resolved:
convincing air carriers to accept service animals and electric
wheelchairs on board flights, to stow folding wheelchairs in the cabin,
and to provide requested wheelchair assistance. The airlines themselves
remain responsible for deciding what action will be taken to resolve
the issue in accordance with the ACAA and Part 382.
Air
travelers who want information about the rights of persons with
disabilities in air travel or who experience disability-related air
travel service problems may call the hotline to obtain assistance at:
(800) 778-4838 (voice) or (800) 455-9880 (TTY).
Air travelers
who want DOT to investigate a complaint about a disability-related
issue must submit their complaint in writing via e-mail to airconsumer@ost.dot.gov
or postal mail to Aviation Consumer Protection Division, U.S.
Department of Transportation, 400 7th Street, S.W., Washington, D.C.
20590. For more information about what to include in your letter, visit
http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/problems.htm.