Air Carrier Access Act Technical Assistance Manual (2005)

Storing Assistive Devices in the Aircraft Cabin

You must allow passengers with a disability to bring their personal ventilators/respirators, including non-spillable batteries, on board the aircraft as long as FAA safety regulations are met. [Sec. 382.41(b)] You must permit passengers to stow their canes and other assistive devices in the cabin and close to their seats, consistent with FAA safety regulations concerning carry-on items. [Sec. 382.41(c)]

Example: Because a passenger with a disability arrived at the airport late, time and space constraints on board the aircraft require you to store her assistive walking device in first class, even though her seat assignment is in the back of the plane in economy class. She insists that she has the right to have her assistive walking device stored near her. She explains further that she would need this device to access and use the lavatory. What should you do?

You must permit a passenger with a disability to bring her assistive devices into the cabin as long as FAA safety regulations are met. [Sec. 382.41(b)] In addition, the rule generally requires you to allow a passenger to stow her assistive device close to her seat, consistent with FAA safety regulations concerning carry-on items. [Sec. 382.41(c)] Under the circumstances, you should reassess the storage space and consider either moving the passenger closer to her walker or the walker closer to the passenger.

You must not count assistive devices brought on board the aircraft by a passenger with a disability toward the limit on the passenger’s carry-on items. [Sec. 382.41(d)] Wheelchairs and other assistive devices that cannot be stowed in the cabin must be stowed in the baggage compartment with priority over other cargo and baggage. [Sec. 382.41(f)(3)] In addition, because carriers cannot charge for facilities, equipment, or services required under the law to be provided to qualified individuals with a disability, no charge would be imposed if a wheelchair or assistive device exceeded the weight limit on checked baggage. [Sec. 382.57]

Example: A passenger with multiple sclerosis is one of many passengers on a flight who is informed that the flight will not be taking off because of mechanical problems. It is late at night and the carrier has announced that the passengers will be put up in a hotel for the night and rescheduled on a flight leaving the following morning. The passenger with multiple sclerosis approaches you when she hears the announcement and explains that she needs access to her checked luggage because it contains her syringe and medication for her multiple sclerosis which she must take on a daily basis. What should you do?

The passenger’s syringe and medication would be considered an assistive device under the law. Under section 382.41(f)(1), because the passenger requested the return of her assistive device, you must return it to her. As a matter of customer service, you may also advise such passengers (e.g., via the carrier’s web site or other consumer information materials) that the carrier recommends to all of its passengers who require such medication or other items for medical necessity to bring a carry-on bag containing the medication or other item on board. Such medication carry-on bags would not be counted toward the passenger’s carry-on baggage allotment.