New Air Travel Bill Includes Key Accessibility Improvements
It’s one of the most common complaints we get at the Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA)—trouble hearing and understanding announcements in airports and airplanes—but changes are coming. A new bill mandates wide-ranging improvements to aviation safety and passenger protections, including significant benefits for travelers with hearing loss and other disabilities.
On May 16, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization Act of 2024 was signed into law by President Biden with bipartisan support. This vital bill extends the FAA’s activities related to airport planning and development, facilities, equipment and operations through September 30, 2028.
HLAA has worked for years with other consumer disability organizations, including the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN), National Association of the Deaf (NAD) and Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), to get important accessibility provisions included in the bill.
Here are some of the improvements to come:
- Accessible announcements: Those muffled, hard-to-understand gate and safety announcements could get more accessible. Under the new law, all airport gates, counters, ticketing areas and customer service desks must be disability accessible, including captions for people with hearing loss.
- New wheelchair safety standards: Harrowing scenarios of wheelchair damage and injuries to passengers who are taken in and out of them could diminish as the bill requires the Department of Transportation (DOT) to improve standards for wheelchair transport and stowage.
- In-flight entertainment captioning: DOT is required to issue new regulations requiring in-flight entertainment accessibility, including closed captioning and video descriptions.
- Digital accessibility: Minimum standards to ensure that individuals with disabilities can access websites, software applications and kiosks are also included.
In addition, the FAA Reauthorization Act addresses a variety of general transportation issues, such as the Airport Improvement Program (AIP), aviation workforce development and air traffic controller recruitment, aircraft and pilot certifications, guaranteed family seating policies, the elimination of hidden airline fees and hassle-free refunds to passengers for delayed or canceled flights.
Changes could still be some way off, but this is certainly a big step in the right direction. We know this is a critical safety issue for millions with hearing loss, and ultimately will benefit all travelers in noisy airports and airplanes. A 2023 blog post about protecting yourself while traveling with hearing loss remains one of our top performers, and according to HLAA Executive Director Barbara Kelley, the topic is second only to concerns about the costs of hearing aids and lack of insurance coverage.
If you have hearing loss and are flying, preparation can be key to your safety and success. Know Your Rights before you go and see other important initiatives that HLAA is working on.
Neil Snyder is HLAA’s new public policy director, taking over for Lise Hamlin, who retired in February. Neil brings a decade of experience on Capitol Hill and nearly two decades with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). He hopes to continue moving important accessibility issues forward and inspiring more people to get involved in HLAA.
Plan ahead and know your rights
- HLAA encourages all travelers with hearing loss and other disabilities to learn what your rights are, prepare well in advance and self-advocate at every step. Be sure to take these actions when planning your next trip, whether to the HLAA 2023 Convention or a summer vacation.
- When ordering your ticket, identify yourself as someone with hearing loss.
- If traveling with a service animal, complete and submit all paperwork in advance.
- Review the online accessibility policies of the airports you’re using—departure, destination, and any connection. Find out what accommodations are available and where
- At the airport, self-identify at every point of contact; in particular, ensure that gate agents are aware that you may not be able to hear announcements and require preboarding.
- Familiarize yourself with Aviation Consumer Protection materials for travelers with disabilities from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the new Airline Passengers Disability Bill of Rights.
- Report any disability-related air travel issues to U.S. DOT and/or to the airline.
Neil Snyder is HLAA’s new public policy director, taking over for Lise Hamlin, who retired in February. Neil brings a decade of experience on Capitol Hill and nearly two decades with the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA). He hopes to continue moving important accessibility issues forward and inspiring more people to get involved in HLAA.
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