Sponsors (7)
Expands DOT penalties and creates a private right of action and DOJ enforcement to strengthen ACAA protections for travelers with disabilities.
The bill strengthens enforcement and private remedies for people with disabilities—improving safety, access, and accountability—but increases legal exposure and compliance costs for carriers that could raise fares, reduce service, and impose costs on taxpayers.
People with disabilities would gain a private right of action to sue airlines for ACAA violations, increasing individual legal remedies and carrier accountability.
Passengers with disabilities (including veterans) would face fewer safety and service harms — e.g., damaged wheelchairs/scooters, denied service-animal access, aisle-chair failures — because the bill creates DOT penalties and clearer liability that encourage safer carrier practices.
People with disabilities would get faster and stronger enforcement and remedies (no requirement to exhaust administrative procedures; DOJ can bring pattern-or-practice suits and obtain equitable relief, penalties, and damages).
Airlines (including foreign carriers) could face substantially higher litigation, liability, compliance, and insurance costs, which carriers may pass to consumers through higher fares or reduced routes/services.
Expanding private remedies and damages may produce more litigation with uncertain outcomes, increasing legal unpredictability and burdens for both carriers and passengers.
Expanded DOJ enforcement and mandatory referrals could increase federal litigation and enforcement costs borne by taxpayers.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Official title: To amend title 49, United States Code, to provide for certain remedies for air transportation passengers with disabilities who are discriminated against, and for other purposes.
Introduced June 18, 2026 by Alice Costandina Titus · Last progress June 18, 2026
Expands enforcement and remedies under the Air Carrier Access Act to strengthen protections for travelers with disabilities. The bill directs the Department of Transportation to assess civil penalties for specific disability-related harms (like damaged wheelchairs, physical injury, denial of service-animal access, failure to provide aisle-chair assistance, and gross negligence), requires referral to the Attorney General for patterns or matters of public importance, creates a new private right of action allowing aggrieved individuals to sue for compensatory and punitive damages (within two years) without exhausting administrative remedies, and authorizes the Justice Department to bring suits seeking equitable relief, damages, and civil penalties.