People who use wheelchairs as a mobility aid should soon have an easier time travelling on United Airlines flights.
This Thursday, the Chicago-based company announced new technologies and policies to improve travel experiences for wheelchair users. These new features are expected to launch early next year.
United’s announcement comes after an August report in Reuters that United “agreed to a $30 million settlement after a deplaning incident left a quadriplegic man in a vegetative state.”
According to United, a new digital filter on united.com “helps determine which aircraft can accommodate different sized chairs,” and it allows those customers to get a refund for fare difference if a higher-fare flight is needed to accommodate them.
Around 12% of Americans have a serious difficulty with walking or climbing stairs, per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. An estimated 3.3 million people in the U.S. alone used wheelchairs as of 2016.
United customers should be able to enter the specific dimensions of their wheelchair in the online filter, and the search will prioritize flight options on aircraft with cargo hold doors large enough to accommodate the wheelchair dimensions, said United. To get refunds, customers will be required to fill out a form after their flight.
“By offering customers an easy way to know if their personal wheelchair fits on a particular airplane, we can give them the peace of mind they deserve when they fly with us,” said Linda Jojo, executive vice president and chief customer officer for United. “Plus, collecting this information ahead of time ensures our team can handle these special items with proper care and attention."
In addition to the new search options, United also said it will begin a six-month pilot program at George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport later this year. This program is intended "to explore ways to better accommodate customers in the unlikely event their wheelchair was damaged or delayed while traveling.”
“United entered an agreement earlier this month with the U.S. Department of Transportation to deliver these initiatives through a mutual commitment to increase accessibility and improve the travel experience for customers who require the use of a wheelchair,” said the company. “United carried about 150,000 wheelchairs in 2022.”
Other recent measures to make United flights easier and safer include new mobile technology that alerts ramp agents when people with wheelchairs are on flights, a recently designed mobile app that takes visual disabilities into account and new more-accessible entertainment screens. United also became the first U.S. airline to add Braille to aircraft interiors last month.
“United expects to outfit its entire mainline fleet with Braille by the end of 2026,” said the airline.