Airlines look to remove consumer protections for travelers who use wheelchairs
CBSN
The nation's largest airlines are looking to rescind new consumer protection rules for travelers with disabilities, arguing in court filings that the U.S. Department of Transportation had exceeded its authority in enacting them.
In a lawsuit filed on Tuesday with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit, the trade group Airlines for America and five carriers — American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest and United — argue that the mandate put in place last year by the Biden administration is unlawful. The 2024 rule made mishandling wheelchairs a violation of the federal Air Carrier Access Act.
American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest and United declined to comment, referring requests to Airlines for America, which issued a statement calling the new requirements unnecessary and an overreach.
