The US Department of Transportation has issued a penalty of US$50 million to American Airlines for failing to provide a safe and dignified air travel experience for passengers with disabilities. The record fine is 25-times larger than any previous US DOT penalty against an airline for violating disability regulations. “The era of tolerating poor treatment of airline passengers with disabilities is over,” said Transportation Secretary Buttigieg
The doors of APEX/IFSA Global Expo opened on 28 October, with highlights from the first day including Thales and Qatar Airways unveiling a world-first advancement, C-suite executives sharing insights and updates on their airlines, and panels advising how to enhance areas such as accessibility and IFE curation
Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX), the annual event where airlines, industry suppliers and cabin interiors professionals converge to shape the cabins of the future, will return on 8-10 April 2025 at Hamburg Messe. The 2024 event saw strong growth, and the 2025 event promises even more reasons to attend
After 15 years of advocacy, All Wheels Up is close to realising its goal of wheelchair tie-down systems being installed in aircraft cabins. “We have not identified any major issues to installation,” says the US DOT, with testing and certification starting in 2025, and rulemaking expected in early 2026
APEX has announced the full list of airline industry leaders speaking at APEX/IFSA Global Expo in Long Beach on 28 to 30 October. The lineup of high-profile speakers includes Benjamin Smith, CEO of Air France-KLM, Michael Rousseau, president and CEO of Air Canada, and Shai Weiss, CEO of Virgin Atlantic
All Wheels Up, a champion of accessible air travel, held its fifth Annual Global Forum on Wheelchair Accessible Air Travel at the US Department of Transportation Volpe Center in Boston, Massachusetts earlier this month. Join Dave Stevens, a board member of All Wheels Up, for a recap of the event
The Crystal Cabin Award, the world’s leading accolade for innovations in aircraft cabins, has opened the application phase for the 2025 awards, and there are some interesting new developments. Most notably, a dedicated category for accessibility innovations has been introduced
The finalists of ‘Best Customer Journey Experience’, a special category of the Crystal Cabin Award due to be presented during APEX Global Expo in October, have been announced. The three innovations in the running have been developed by Skyted, Spafax and Thales
American Airlines has become the first USA-based airline to launch an automated tag for mobility devices, as part of its work to improve wheelchair and mobility device handling across its network
The Rights on Flights campaign is driving change in accessible air travel. The proposed Assisted Air Travel Act could create a safer and more enjoyable experience for disabled passengers in the UK, with potential for worldwide application. And the campaign is gaining traction
