Broken on Board: Inaccessible Air Travel in Practice
November 12, 2025 | Accessibility & Travel
I recently returned to Palm Beach International Airport after traveling to Washington, D.C. to compete in National Model United Nations. The conference itself was demanding, rewarding, and intellectually engaging, but the most stressful part of the entire trip had nothing to do with the competition. It was the reality of navigating air travel as a wheelchair user.
This was not my first time flying with a wheelchair, but it was my first flight with a new chair. That distinction matters, because my previous wheelchair was destroyed during air travel with Air France. That experience fundamentally altered how I approach flying. Where travel once involved normal logistical planning, it now requires risk assessment, contingency planning, and the knowledge that my mobility may be compromised at the end of the journey.
For most passengers, landing represents relief. The journey is over, and the destination has been reached. For wheelchair users, landing is often when uncertainty begins. The critical question is not simply whether the wheelchair arrives, but whether it arrives intact, functional, and safe to use.
The Reality of Damage
After landing, I was transferred off the aircraft using an aisle chair, which requires being pulled backwards off the plane. This process removes any visual access to one’s wheelchair until the very end. When I turned around to locate my chair, the damage was immediately visible.
The joystick and mounting bracket were snapped completely in half. This was not superficial or cosmetic damage. The joystick is the primary interface that allows me to control my wheelchair. Without it, I cannot move independently, navigate safely, or leave the airport without assistance.
I noticed the damage before I had even fully exited the aircraft. In order to leave the terminal, I taped the broken components together and balanced them on my cupholder. While this allowed me to exit the airport, it was not safe, reliable, or dignified. Many wheelchair users would not be able to attempt even this temporary solution.
- American Airlines replaced the damaged components at a cost of approximately $700.
- Heavier rehabilitation chairs are almost always placed in cargo, increasing the likelihood of serious damage.
- A damaged chair results in immediate loss of mobility, independence, and personal safety.
- For custom devices, repair or replacement costs can reach tens of thousands of dollars.
These incidents are not rare anomalies. They are predictable outcomes of systems that do not treat mobility devices as essential equipment. Until handling practices change, damage will continue to be framed as unfortunate but unavoidable, rather than as a preventable failure.
Low-Cost, High-Impact Solutions
Accessibility in aviation is often discussed as though it requires sweeping technological change or prohibitively expensive redesigns. In reality, many of the most impactful solutions are procedural. Airlines already bear the financial burden of damaged wheelchairs. Addressing the causes of that damage would reduce costs while significantly improving passenger safety and autonomy.
1. Protective Wheelchair Crates
Airlines already transport fragile and high-value equipment using protective containers. Musical instruments, medical equipment, and specialized cargo routinely receive this level of care. Standardized, reusable wheelchair crates would reduce impact damage during loading and unloading and create consistency across aircraft types. Over time, the cost of implementing such systems would be offset by reduced repair claims and liability expenses.
2. Basic Crew Training and Clear Loading Protocols
When wheelchair users request specific handling procedures or ask whether their chair can remain in the cabin, responses vary widely. This inconsistency is not primarily the result of individual indifference. It reflects gaps in training, unclear policies, and a lack of standardized guidance. Basic, mandatory training would empower crew members to handle wheelchairs safely and confidently while reducing uncertainty for passengers.
3. Mandatory Pre-Flight Inspection Documentation
Photo documentation of a wheelchair’s condition at the gate would establish a clear record prior to loading. This practice would reduce disputes, streamline claims, and encourage careful handling. Importantly, it requires minimal resources and could be implemented using existing staff and equipment.
4. Treat Mobility Devices as Essential Equipment
A wheelchair is not luggage. It is an extension of the body. Policies that recognize this distinction would shift the focus from damage control to damage prevention. Treating mobility devices as essential equipment is not a courtesy; it is a requirement for equitable access to transportation.
These solutions do not require new aircraft or radical infrastructure changes. They require a shift in prioritization. Accessibility is not an optional service layered onto aviation. It is a fundamental component of safe, functional travel.
Written by Ryleigh Newman