TOOLKIT DIRECTORY

Rights of the Amputee

The Amputee's/Disabled Rights As A Traveler

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has implemented rules laid out in the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) that prohibit the discriminatory treatment of
individuals with disabilities. According to the fact sheet published by DOT,”Steps Taken to Ensure New Security
Requirements Preserve and Respect to Civil Rights of People with Disabilities,” amputees are entitled to the following rights:

• Boarding and deplaning assistance must be provided to passengers with disabilities, including assistance beyond security checkpoints.
  
  
• The limit of one carry-on bag and one personal bag, such as purse or briefcase, per traveler does not apply to medical supplies and assistive devices.
  
  
• Passenger flow through the security checkpoints should be directed to allow
  passengers to maintain visual contact with their personal property during screening.
  
  
• Once inspected, assistive devices such as canes are permitted in the passenger
  cabin. Passengers with assistive devices that cannot go through the X-ray machine should be request a visual inspection of the equipment.
  
  
• After passing inspection, personal wheelchairs and battery-powered scooters
  may be used to reach departure gates.
  
  
• Folding or collapsible personal wheelchairs can be stowed aboard the aircraft.
  
  
• Air carriers must return wheelchairs and other assistive devices to passengers with disabilities as close as possible to the door of the aircraft. Passengers can ensure a timely delivery of their assistive devices by checking
  them at the gate rather than the ticket counter.
  
  
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