Delta Hit with $2M Fine for Disabled Traveler Violations

Contributing Editor Carl Unger believes that every trip is worth taking. He loves an extended trip to Europe as much as he enjoys exploring the towns and landscape near home. Basically, you'll find him wherever there is good food, fresh air, and plenty of stories to bring home.

Carl has been writing for SmarterTravel since 2005. His travel writing has also appeared on USA Today and the About.com Boston travel guide.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "It's not revolutionary, but a small Moleskine notebook is my one travel must-have. It's great for noting things you want to remember and it takes up hardly any space in your bag."

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: "Japan. I'd love to take a month off and visit the cities, temples, and countryside. I'm fascinated by the country's juxtaposition of ancient traditions and modern ambitions."

Travel Motto: “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” –Terry Pratchett

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Window."

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Delta has been slammed with a $2 million fine for improper treatment of disabled travelers, reports USA Today’s Ben Mutzabaugh. Delta has to pay $750,000 of the fine up front, and may allocate the remaining $1.25 million to improving its disabled traveler services above what the law requires.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) says this is the largest non-safety-related civil penalty ever assessed against an airline. In a statement, the agency said, “An investigation … revealed many violations of the requirement to provide assistance getting on and off the airplane. The carrier’s complaint files also showed that it frequently did not provide an adequate written response to disability complaints from passengers. The Aviation Enforcement Office further found that Delta also failed to properly report each disability complaint in reports filed with the Department.”

According to the Associated Press (AP), Delta has admitted no wrongdoing, but said it “will install more elevators, and allow customers to specify what type of wheelchair help they need when they buy a ticket on the airline’s website. It will also install additional jetways—instead of stairs—for boarding regional flights.”

Delta is certainly not the first airline to be fined for improper treatment of disabled passengers. AirTran was hit with a $500,000 fine last summer for similar violations. In Delta’s case, however, the fact that the airline is a repeat offender seems to have been factored in. The AP notes, “The government says Delta’s handling of disabled passengers actually got worse after an investigation in 2003. The complaints that led to the new penalty were from 2007 and 2008.” It seems likely, then, that the DOT felt compelled to make a very strong point, and it certainly did.

Readers, have you ever flown with a disabled family member or friend? Was it challenging, or did the airline go out of its way to help?

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