Disability Travel - Can the Airlines Survive the New Access Fines?

Andrea Kennedy of Access Anything (http://www.accessanything.net/), guest writing on Rolling Rains (http://rollingrains.com/):

Thankfully, a large percentage of the fine (no matter the amount) is always rolled back into the solutions for the access problems at hand, the fines seem excessive. Although I travel with someone who uses a wheelchair and whose rights have been regularly violated, the fines still seems excessive.

In the ten years we have traveled together, my husband's wheelchair has been broken four times, his shower chair has been broken twice, his right to stow his wheelchair in the on-board closet or in the backrow seat has been violated more times than I can count, our service animal has been denied boarding, and we have had to smile in the face of some of the worst customer service I have ever seen.

Full article: http://www.rollingrains.com/2011/02/can-the-airlines-survive-the-new-access-fines.html

If the fines are not substantial enough to make the airlines sit up and take notice, there will be no change. The airlines have the power to effect change in their own policies, but not the will to do so. Perhaps Delta's $2 million might cause a few ripples in the industry.

If the fines are not substantial enough to make the airlines sit up and take notice, there will be no change. The airlines have the power to effect change in their own policies, but not the will to do so. Perhaps Delta's $2 million might cause a few ripples in the industry.
Unfortunately, this is the case. In big business money talks. But poor service inside airports is becoming the norm, for all passengers.