Question:
My sister is in an electric wheelchair. She was thinking of taking a trip, but she’s worried that if she goes on a plane they might disassemble the battery on her wheelchair and mess the chair up. Do you know what the general treatment is of wheelchairs on airplanes?
Answer:
Rules for wheelchair transport on aircraft may differ according to the country your sister is traveling to and the airline she is traveling with. However I did find some useful information from the United States of America Department of Transportation (DOT) Air Carrier Access Regulations, which state that airlines must transport battery-powered wheelchairs, except when cargo space doesn’t allow.
Depending on if your sister’s wheelchair runs on a spillable or non-spillable battery, the following rules apply:
For wheelchairs with spillable batteries - the battery must be removed, however if it’s possible to load, store, secure, and unload the wheelchair in an upright position, the carrier may not detach the battery from the wheelchair. However, a wheelchair battery may never be drained according to DOT.
For wheelchairs with non-spillable batteries – the battery shouldn’t be removed from the wheelchair before its stowed. However, if the battery is damaged or leaking or if the airline can’t determine if a battery is spillable or non-spillable, the battery may be removed.
The following DOT rules are in place to protect your sister’s rights and her wheelchair:
Airlines must adhere to a passenger’s written instructions concerning the disassembly and assembly of their wheelchair.
When an assistive device is disassembled, the airline must return the device to the passenger in its original assembled condition.
An airline will provide double the liability (normally provided for passenger luggage) for an assistive device that is lost or damaged during a domestic flight.
Airlines can’t ask passengers with a disability to sign waivers of liability for damage to assistive devices.