United fined $2 million over disability related complaintsThe News
Friday, 08 January 2016 07:22
Written by
Roberto Castiglioni
list end
The United States Department of Transportation announced on Thursday that the
US fourth largest carrier United Airlines was fined $ 2 million over complaints
filed by disabled passengers.
The airline drew an additional fine of $750.000 over lengthy tarmac delays.
Airlines operating domestic flights in the United States can be fined when
domestic
flights sit on the tarmac longer than three hours (more than four hours for
international flights) without giving passengers the opportunity to deplane.
“It is our duty to ensure that travelers with disabilities have access to the
services they need and that when significant tarmac delays happen, travelers
are not left on the plane,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
“We will make sure that airlines comply with our rules and treat their
passengers
fairly.”
A significant increase in the number of disability-related complaints that
United received from consumers in the calendar year 2014
United Airlines 787 Dreamlinertriggered the DOT’s investigation into the
airline’s compliance with the Air Carrier Access Act, the US law protecting the
rights of disabled people traveling by air.
The rule applies to all domestic flights, as well as to all flights from and to
the United States regardless of the nationality of the carrier.
The Department of Transportation investigation found that United failed to
provide passengers with disabilities prompt and adequate assistance with
enplaning
and deplaning aircraft and with moving through the terminal at Houston
International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport, Denver
International
Airport, Newark International Airport, and Dulles International Airport.
The Enforcement Office’s investigation also found that in numerous cases the
airline failed to return passengers’ wheelchairs, other mobility aids, or other
assistive devices in a timely manner or in the condition in which the airline
received them.
Of the $2 million assessed for these violations, United will spend $150,000 to
improve quality assurance audits of United’s wheelchair vendor(s), including
tracking the time period within which wheelchair assistance is provided to
passengers with disabilities, and $500,000 towards a pilot program to develop
and implement technology that assists passengers with disabilities in making
requests for wheelchair and other disability-related assistance at the airport
via United’s mobile app.
United Customer Service deskWheelchair assistance at US airports is provided by
contractors hired by airlines directly. In recent past, there have been
a number of reports highlighting the causes of declining quality of service.
The most recent report filed by the local SEIU Union explains why
Delta give poor wheelchair assistance at Minneapolis airport.
In 2014, airlines contractor AirServ was forced by the New York General
Attorney’s office to
settle a pay dispute with wheelchair workers
at JFK International airport.
The DOT credited United Airlines with $650,000 for compensation it provided to
consumers who filed disability-related complaints with the airline in 2014.
“We expect this to greatly improve our ability to have wheelchairs where they
need to be when they need to be there so that our customers can get on their
way home or to their next destination with ease,” Jon Roitman, United's senior
vice president of airport operations said.
United Airlines joins Delta Air Lines in the shortlist of recipients of the
largest penalty the U.S. Department of Transportation ever assessed against
an airline. In February 2011, the DoT fined Atlanta-based Delta $2,000,000 for
violating rules protecting passengers with disabilities.
Source:
http://www.reducedmobility.eu/20160108670/TheNews/united-fined-2-million-over-disability-related-complaints
