Air Carrier Access Act Helps Blind and Visually Impaired Air Travelers

In 1986 Congress passed the Air Carrier Access Act, requiring the Department of Transportation (DOT) to develop new regulations ensuring that persons with disabilities will be treated without discrimination in a way consistent with the safety of all passengers.

These regulations were published in March 1990 and have been amended several times since then, such as extension to cover foreign air carriers in 2000.

The DOT regulations have resulted in improved air travel for persons with disabilities.The rules clearly explain the responsibilities of the traveler, the carriers, the airport operators, and contractors.

The Air Carrier Access rules are designed to minimize the special problems that travelers with disabilities face as they negotiate their way through the nation’s complex air travel system from origin to destination. This is achieved:

• By recognizing that the physical barriers encountered by passengers with disabilities can frequently be overcome by employing simple changes in layout and technology.
• By adopting the principle that many difficulties confronting passengers with hearing or vision impairments will be relieved if they are provided access to the same information that is available to all other passengers.
• Through training of all air travel personnel who come in day-to-day contact with persons with disabilities, to understand their needs and how they can be accommodated quickly, safely, and with dignity.

For more details about the Air Carrier Access Act, read VisionAWARE's discussion of transportation [1] and a booklet provided by the Air Consumer Protection Commission. [2]