Can airlines charge for providing assistance to passengers with disabilities?

Airlines are required to provide assistance to passengers with disabilities free of charge as mandated by the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA). The law emphasizes that airlines must ensure equal access to their services for individuals with disabilities, which includes offering necessary assistance, such as help with boarding, deplaning, and navigating the airport.

Charging fees for basic assistance would violate the principles of equal access and non-discrimination that the ACAA aims to uphold. This law is in place to create a more inclusive travel environment and to ensure that passengers with disabilities can travel without additional financial burdens related to necessary assistance services.

Recognizing this obligation to provide assistance without fees reflects the commitment to ensuring all passengers, regardless of their physical abilities, have equitable access to air travel. Thus, assistance must always be freely provided as part of the airline's responsibility.