The 1986 Air Carrier Access Act requires airlines to provide a wheelchair to passengers with disabilities at the airport. The problem: Many travelers are faking it, Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle says.
“There is massive, rampant abuse of special services. There are people using wheelchair assistance who donâ€
He said he had seen Frontier flights where 20 people were brought to the plane with wheelchairs, but only three wheelchairs were used upon arrival.
“We are healing so many people,� he joked.
Biffle wasnâ€
It costs the airline between $30 and $35 each time a customer requests a wheelchair, Biffle said, and abuse of the service leads to delays for travelers with genuine need for assistance.
“Everyone should be entitled to it who needs it, but you park in a handicapped space they will tow your car and fine you,� he told CNBC. “There should be the same penalty for abusing these services.�
Earlier this year, the Transportation Department proposed stricter rules aimed at preventing wheelchair damage by airport ground handlers and ensuring “prompt assistance� to travelers with disabilities when getting on and off the plane.