The U.S. Department of Transportation announced last week that they have published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). Single-aisle airplanes are currently not required to make their bathrooms accessible for people with disabilities, and the new rule proposes that such airplanes be required to be able to accommodate wheelchair users in their on-flight lavatories in the future. The majority of domestic flights are single-aisle aircraft.
“Far too often, travelers with disabilities don’t have the opportunity to fly to their destinations because they can’t access the lavatories on most airplanes,” said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “This rule would make airplane lavatories more accessible for passengers with disabilities and bring us one step closer to the day when air travel is possible for everyone.”