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U.S. DOT Announces New Rules That Help Disabled Flyers with Digital Tools

Samantha Shankman

Photo Credit: Boys race through Salt Lake City Airport in wheelchairs provided by Delta Air Lines.  Flickr / Ian

Skift Take

Online booking, automated kiosks, and mobile check-ins have made life easier for many travelers, but until yesterday's ruling, they did little to help flyers with certain disabilities. These rules will need to be continually updated as new technology emerges.

The U.S. Department of Transportation announced new rules that ensure flyers with disabilities have equal access to airlines' new digital tools including booking websites and automated airport kiosks. The rules, outlined yesterday by U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, require airlines to update websites and add kiosks that can be used by passengers with disabilities. The new technology has made booking and check-in easier and faster for the average flyer, but more difficult for some flyers with disabilities. The new guidelines are part of the agency's ongoing updates of the 1986 Air Carrier Access Act. The main change

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