We the undersigned, call on commercial airlines,  Boeing Co and Airbus to work together to publicly release a timeline as to when accessibility will be a standard feature on all their new and refurbished aircraft, which would allow mobility disabled passengers (if they wish) to bring their wheelchairs onboard and remain in them for the duration of their flight.

The Transportation Research Board (TRB) has found that most aircraft (like Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s) could accommodate a wheelchair securement area with only modest cabin modification

The undersigned also urge Boeing Co and Airbus to consult closely with:

* 1. Delta Flight Products, UK-based consortium Air4All; Unum Seating and Collins Aerospace, which have all recently unveiled full prototypes of seating systems which converts a standard passenger seat to an accommodation for wheelchairs without affecting the airline’s bottom line

 * non-profit All Wheels Up, the only organization in the world to have crash tested wheelchair restraints and wheelchairs to aviation standards.

Further, the undersigned call for all Boeing Co and Airbus commercial aircraft to include at least one fully accessible bathroom for wheelchair users.

Wheelchair spaces are desperately needed as there have not been any accessibility improvements made by commercial airlines and aircraft manufacturers for decades, meaning those passengers who are mobility disabled have to be manhandled onto and off flimsy, narrow and uncomfortable aisle chairs; wheeled on and off aircraft; and physically lifted into and out of their seats. This also applies if the disabled passenger needs to use the bathroom during the flight.

 This is not only inhuman and humiliating, but often results in the passenger being injured, sometimes seriously. 
 Wheelchairs stowed along with luggage also face a very high probability of being damaged. This on-going problem would be eliminated if passengers could bring their wheelchairs onboard.
 There are currently 4 million wheelchair users in the USA according to the census figures; 4 million in the EU, and millions more in the developing world.
 It is estimated the disability community spends over $58B on travel annually with this figure to grow once airlines implement accessibility features for the mobility disabled. 
Research shows that the implementation of the requested accessible features would not have adverse effects on airline income, but could in fact, increase revenue as it would encourage more of the estimated 15 percent of the population who are disabled, to travel, or travel more.
 Disabled travelers have as much right as the fully abled to travel as comfortably and as safely as possible. We call on Boeing Co, Airbus and airlines to make this right a reality and to issue media statements that they will start work towards that goal, starting with a timeline.
Thank You.