A wheelchair isn’t just luggage. It is someone’s independence—and protecting it should not be optional.

We’re Winston and Mayfair Clements, an interabled couple who have been sharing our family life and travels since 2021 in the hope of normalizing disability. Winston uses a powerchair, so every flight we take comes with the same worry: will his chair arrive in one piece?

Winston also travels on his own for speaking engagements. When he arrives, he relies on his chair to get around independently, reach his hotel, and get to the event where he’s due to speak. If his chair arrives damaged, it affects far more than his travel plans. It takes away the independence he depends on.

We’ve experienced wheelchair mishandling several times, and we know how costly repairing or replacing a powerchair can be. These chairs are essential equipment, tailored to the people who use them. A replacement that does not meet someone’s needs is not an adequate solution.

Nobody should have to board a flight wondering whether they’ll get their mobility back when they land. When a wheelchair arrives broken or goes missing, a passenger can lose the ability to move independently, get to work, or participate safely in daily life.

In 2025, reporting U.S. airlines recorded 9,910 mishandled wheelchairs and scooters on domestic flights—roughly one in every 100 carried. That includes devices lost, delayed, or damaged. These are not just statistics about equipment. Behind every incident is someone who needs it.

In December 2024, the U.S. Department of Transportation adopted stronger wheelchair protections. But on August 4, 2026, DOT extended an enforcement pause on four provisions until April 30, 2027, while it considers revisions. The paused provisions cover a stronger airline liability standard, annual refresher training, advance notices of passengers’ rights, and certain fare reimbursements.

Airlines still have obligations to care for wheelchairs and pay for damage they cause. We are demanding full enforcement of the stronger protections—not accepting a delay simply because some rights remain in place.

We call on U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy to direct DOT to take three actions.

End the enforcement pause now. Enforce all four delayed provisions of the 2024 wheelchair rule rather than making passengers wait until April 2027.

Keep airlines accountable. Preserve and enforce strong liability protections, prompt repair or replacement, clear information about passengers’ rights, and airline-funded loaner chairs that meet passengers’ safety and mobility needs.

Prevent damage through hands-on training. Enforce practical training for employees and contractors who handle wheelchairs, and retain annual refresher training so safe handling is an ongoing responsibility.

Any rewritten rule must preserve these safeguards—not weaken them. Passengers deserve protection before something goes wrong and meaningful help when it does.

Sign this petition to urge Secretary Duffy to end the delay and enforce the wheelchair rule in full. Share it with your travel community to demand safe, dignified air travel for everyone.

Our independence should not be put on hold until 2027.