November 17, 2003

Feds fine Delta

Delta Air Lines agreed to a $1.35 million civil penalty for failing to provide adequate help to passengers using wheelchairs.

Feds fine Delta for wheelchair allegations

By RUSSELL GRANTHAM
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution


Delta Air Lines agreed to a $1.35 million civil penalty for failing to provide adequate help to passengers using wheelchairs.

The Department of Transportation said the Atlanta airline's fine is the largest so far for alleged violations of the 1986 Air Carrier Access Act.

"We found it was a serious violation," DOT spokesman Bill Mosley said.

However, Delta will only have to pay the government $100,000 if it reduces complaints from disabled passengers and spends at least $1.25 million to improve services.

The DOT said Delta failed to provide wheelchairs in some cases, or was slow to help passengers, or left passengers stranded in wheelchairs or on planes for extended periods. Under terms of the deal, Delta did not admit to the allegations.

Since March, the DOT has fined 10 carriers under the act. Previously, the largest was a $1.2 million fine levied on American Airlines. Last month, the DOT assessed a $125,000 penalty against AirTran Airways, the Orlando-based discount carrier that has its flight hub in Atlanta.

The DOT typically agrees to cut the fine dramatically if the airline agrees to spend a certain amount on better service to disabled passengers.

Delta spokesman John Kennedy said the carrier is spending more than the required $1.25 million, including $2 million on a computer training system to make employees and airport contractors more familiar with the requirements of the law. He said Delta was also the first to create a manager position to monitor compliance with the law.

"Delta is fully committed to meeting the terms of the order," said Kennedy.

The DOT said Delta's fine was based on a "significant number of apparent violations" revealed during an investigation of passenger complaints filed with the DOT and Delta from 2000 to 2002.

The law requires airlines to help passengers on and off planes, to have space reserved to store wheelchairs, and to promptly deal with complaints

Posted by Craig at November 17, 2003 04:15 PM