FORT WORTH (WBAP/KLIF News ) – Fort Worth-based American Airlines agreed to a $50 million settlement with the U.S. Department of Transportation for violating laws that protect disabled passengers.
The DOT said its investigators found numerous infractions including staff providing unsafe physical assistance to passengers with some resulting in injuries between 2019 and 2023.
In a statement issued this week, American said it’s been making efforts to improve its performance with passengers who need wheelchairs or other mobility devices.
“American has a long-standing commitment to serving passengers with disabilities,” said the statement.
The carrier added that it invested more than $175 million in services, infrastructure, training and new technology to improve.
Speaking to reporters, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said there are investigations into other airlines, although he noted that the North Texas carrier appears to be one of the “worst offenders.”
In it’s fourth-quarter report, American said it successfully operated almost 2 million flights in 2023 and took approximately $53 billion in revenue.
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