Airlines have until June 17, 2026 (this Wednesday) to complete hands-on training for all employees and contractors who physically assist passengers with mobility disabilities or handle wheelchairs and scooters. The Department of Transportation requirement is part of the final rule "Ensuring Safe Accommodations for Air Travelers with Disabilities Using Wheelchairs," issued in December 2024.

The rule requires staff to demonstrate competency through assessments before they can assist disabled passengers. Training must cover safe use of the aisle chair, communicating with and taking direction from passengers with disabilities, and safe transfer techniques.

DOT estimates that at least one wheelchair is damaged, delayed, or lost for every 100 transported on domestic flights. In 2019, roughly 29 wheelchairs and scooters were damaged or lost every day. The training requirement is designed to address unsafe handling practices that have left wheelchair users stranded, injured, or without their primary mobility device.

What Changes This Week

Starting June 18, every airline employee or contractor who assists passengers with mobility disabilities must have completed initial training that includes hands-on components and a competency assessment. That applies to gate agents, flight attendants, ramp workers, and anyone else who handles wheelchairs or physically assists disabled travelers.

Airlines can no longer assign untrained staff to assist wheelchair users or handle mobility devices.

The training must include three core components:

• Safe use of the aisle chair: how to operate the narrow wheelchair used to move passengers down the aircraft aisle without causing injury
• Communication with passengers with disabilities: how to ask what assistance is needed and take direction from the person who knows their own device and body
• Safe transfer techniques: how to move a passenger between their wheelchair, the aisle chair, and the aircraft seat without lifting them or causing injury

Staff must pass a competency assessment or certification exam to demonstrate they can perform these tasks safely before assisting passengers.

What's Still Pending

DOT delayed enforcement of four provisions from the original rule while it drafts Wheelchair Rule II, expected as a proposed rule in August 2026. One of those delayed provisions is the frequency of refresher training. The original rule required annual hands-on training, but DOT is reconsidering how often staff must retrain.

The delay means airlines must complete initial training by June 17, but the requirement for annual refresher training won't be enforced until at least December 31, 2026, when DOT plans to finalize Wheelchair Rule II.

Airlines for America and five major carriers (American, Delta, Southwest, United, and JetBlue) filed a lawsuit in February 2025 challenging the rule, arguing it exceeds DOT's authority under the Air Carrier Access Act. The lawsuit is ongoing, but the June 17 training deadline stands.

What Wheelchair Users Can Expect From Trained Staff

Passengers with mobility disabilities now have the right to expect that any airline employee who assists them or handles their device has been trained and certified in safe handling and communication.

That means:

• Staff who transfer you from your wheelchair to the aisle chair should know how to ask what assistance you need rather than assuming
• Ramp workers handling your wheelchair should know how to secure it properly to prevent damage during transport
• Flight attendants assisting with onboard transfers should understand how to use the aisle chair without putting you at risk of injury

If an airline assigns untrained staff to assist you after June 17, that's a violation of the new rule. You can request a Complaint Resolution Official immediately. Airlines are required to make one available in a timely manner.

What to Do If Service Falls Short

If you experience unsafe handling, damage to your mobility device, or assistance from staff who appear untrained, follow these steps:

1. Request a Complaint Resolution Official on the spot. Airlines must provide one when asked. Explain what happened and state that you're filing a formal complaint.

Under federal law, if a U.S. airline damages your mobility device, they must reimburse you for 100% of the repair or replacement cost and provide a loaner mobility device while repairs are underway.

Disability rights advocates estimate that for every 100 informal complaints filed with airlines about wheelchair damage or loss, only one is followed up with a formal DOT complaint. Filing the complaint matters: DOT enforcement and future rulemaking depend on reported incidents.

What Remains Unresolved

The training deadline is a step forward, but several issues remain unresolved as DOT drafts Wheelchair Rule II:

• How often staff must retrain: DOT delayed the annual refresher requirement and is reconsidering the frequency
• Whether loaner wheelchairs will be required at every gate: The original rule included this provision, but it's among those delayed pending Wheelchair Rule II
• Strict liability for device damage: Airlines argue the rule holds them liable even when they didn't discriminate or act wrongfully; DOT is reconsidering this provision
• Accessible ground transportation requirements: Another delayed provision that may be revised in Wheelchair Rule II

DOT expects to issue a proposed Wheelchair Rule II in August 2026, with a 60-day comment period and a final rule by December 31, 2026.

What This Training Requirement Doesn't Cover

The June 17 deadline applies only to initial training for current staff. It doesn't address:

• Ensuring enough trained staff are scheduled during peak travel times
• Preventing airlines from cutting corners by using contractors who haven't been properly certified
• Holding airlines accountable when trained staff ignore the training and handle devices unsafely anyway

The rule creates the training requirement. Enforcement depends on passengers reporting violations when they happen.

Timeline

• December 17, 2024: DOT issued the final rule "Ensuring Safe Accommodations for Air Travelers with Disabilities Using Wheelchairs"
• January 16, 2025: Final rule became effective
• February 14, 2025: Airlines for America and five carriers filed lawsuit challenging the rule
• September 30, 2025: DOT delayed enforcement of four provisions, including annual refresher training frequency, pending Wheelchair Rule II
• June 17, 2026: Deadline for airlines to complete initial hands-on training for all staff who assist passengers with mobility disabilities or handle wheelchairs
• August 2026: DOT expects to issue proposed Wheelchair Rule II
• December 31, 2026: Earliest date for final Wheelchair Rule II

Where to Find More Information

The full text of the final rule is available on the Federal Register. DOT's Aviation Consumer Protection Division maintains a guide to air travel rights for passengers with disabilities, including how to request assistance and file complaints.

Paralyzed Veterans of America tracks wheelchair mishandling data by carrier and publishes annual rankings of airlines' wheelchair damage rates. WheelchairTravel.org maintains a guide to reporting Air Carrier Access Act violations and filing DOT complaints.