14 CFR Part 382 Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel (Air Carrier Access Act) (with amendments issued through July 2003)

§ 382.45 Passenger information.

(a) A carrier shall make available, on request, the following information concerning facilities and services related to the provision of air transportation to qualified individuals with a disability. This information shall pertain to the type of aircraft and, where feasible, the specific aircraft scheduled for a specific flight:

(1) The location of seats, if any, with movable armrests and any seats which the carrier, consistent with this part, does not make available to qualified individuals with a disability;

(2) Any limitations on the ability of the aircraft to accommodate qualified individuals with disabilities, including limitations on the availability of boarding assistance to the aircraft, with respect to the departure and destination points and any intermediate stops. The carrier shall provide this information to any passenger who states that he or she uses a wheelchair for boarding, even if the passenger does not explicitly request the information.

(3) Any limitations on the availability of storage facilities, in the cabin or in the cargo bay, for mobility aids or other equipment commonly used by persons with a disability;

(4) Whether the aircraft has an accessible lavatory.

(b) The following provisions govern the provision of individual safety briefings to qualified individuals with a disability:

(1) Individual safety briefings shall be conducted for any passenger where required by 14 CFR 121.571 (a)(3) and (a)(4) or 14 CFR 135.117(b);

(2) Carrier personnel may offer an individual briefing to any other passenger;

(3) Individual safety briefings for qualified individuals with a disability shall be conducted as inconspicuously and discreetly as possible;

(4) Carrier personnel shall not require any qualified individual with a disability to demonstrate that he or she has listened to, read, or understood the information presented, except to the extent that carrier personnel impose such a requirement on all passengers with respect to the general safety briefing, and shall not take any action adverse to a qualified individual with a disability on the basis that the person has not "accepted" the briefing.

(c) Each carrier shall ensure that qualified individuals with a disability, including those with vision or hearing impairments, have timely access to information the carrier provides to other passengers in the terminal or on the aircraft (to the extent that it does not interfere with crewmembers’ safety duties as set forth in FAA regulations) including, but not limited to, information concerning ticketing, flight delays, schedule changes, connections, flight check-in, gate assignments, and the checking and claiming of luggage; Provided, That persons who are unable to obtain such information from the audio or visual systems used by carriers in airports or on aircraft shall request the information from carrier personnel. Carriers shall also provide information on aircraft changes that will affect the travel of persons with a disability.

(d) Carriers shall have, at each airport they use, a copy of this part and shall make it available for review by persons with a disability on request.

[Amdt. 6, 61 FR 56423, Nov. 1, 1996]