American Airlines To Pay $50 Million Fine Over Bad Treatment
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American Airlines has agreed to a $50 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Transportation for violating laws that protect airline passengers with disabilities.
The investigation uncovered numerous infractions with American Airlines. Some included cases of American providing “unsafe physical assistance” to passengers. The alleged treatment “at times resulted in injuries and undignified treatment of wheelchair users,” investigators stated in an announcement on Wednesday. The investigation also accused American of mishandling or damaging thousands of passengers’ wheelchairs from 2019 to 2023, leaving them without their mobility devices.
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The airline’s flaws came to the public light due to a video back in 2023 that showed crew members mishandling a passenger’s wheelchair. The video showed a baggage handler sending a wheelchair crashing down and off a ramp.
According to the settlement, the airlines will pay a $25 million fine to the U.S. Treasury Department and the remaining $25 million will be invested in airline equipment to reduce incidents of wheelchair damage. Additionally, funds will go toward compensation for passengers whose rights the agency said were violated from 2019-2023.
American released a statement saying they are committed to improving the travel experience for customers who use wheelchairs and other mobility devices. They have since installed wheelchair lifts at more than 20 stations.
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American Airlines To Pay $50 Million Fine Over Bad Treatment was originally published on ronernbphilly.staging.go.ione.nyc
