A new digital filter on united.com that helps identify which aircraft can accommodate various-sized chairs has been introduced by United Airlines. If a higher-fare flight is required to accommodate a particular wheelchair size, the fare difference will be refunded. Other new technologies and policies have also been introduced. United anticipates releasing these new tools at the start of 2019.
“We can give customers the peace of mind they deserve when they fly with us by providing them with an easy way to know if their personal wheelchair fits on a particular airplane,” said Linda Jojo, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Officer for United. Additionally, gathering this data in advance guarantees that our team can handle these unique goods appropriately.
Customers will be able to enter the specific measurements of their own wheelchairs as part of the flight search using the new flight filter on united.com. In the search results, flights on planes with cargo hold doors big enough for the wheelchair measurements will subsequently be given priority. Some aircraft are better equipped than others to transport larger motorized wheelchairs, which must ride upright, due to the size of their cargo hold doors.
If a passenger chooses a United flight with a higher fare that can accommodate their wheelchair on the same day and between the same origin and destination but is unable to use their preferred flight because their wheelchair will not fit through the aircraft’s cargo door, the passenger may request a refund of the fare.
Customers must follow United’s procedure, which includes filling out a brief form after traveling, in order to receive a reimbursement for the cost difference. After a review, United will quickly see to it that they are paid the difference in fare.
Program for Enhanced Airport Experience
At George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport, United will launch a six-month pilot program later this year to investigate how to better serve passengers in the unlikely case that their wheelchair was harmed or delayed while traveling. The program will concentrate on the period of time between a customer’s arrival and the time when United returns the wheelchair or offers a suitable loaner wheelchair in the event that the original wheelchair is broken.
In order to improve the airport experience during this difficult time, United will work with its Accessible Travel Advisory Board to investigate a number of initiatives, such as offering on-site specialized seating and compensating passengers for travel costs if they choose to wait somewhere other than the airport.
This month, United and the US Department of Transportation entered into an agreement to carry out these projects through a shared commitment to improve accessibility and the traveling experience for passengers who use wheelchairs. In 2022, United transported over 150,000 wheelchairs.
Other recent accessibility improvements made by United include:
- New mobile device that alerts ramp agents when a wheelchair is on a flight will help them be ready to receive and load it. The technology also prevents ramp agents from concluding a flight until they confirm that all wheelchairs have been loaded.
- Braille was added to aircraft interiors for the first time by United in August, making it easier for millions of passengers with visual impairments to freely traverse the cabin. By the end of 2026, United hopes to have Braille installed throughout its entire mainline fleet.
- The recent redesign of the United mobile app improved integration with screen reader technologies like VoiceOver and TalkBack by increasing color contrast, adding more white space between graphics, and rearranging how information is displayed and announced.
- Several accessible features, including closed captioning, text-to-speech controls, magnification, explore-by-touch functionality, audio-described movies, and customizable and high-contrast font and color correction, are available on United’s most recent in-flight entertainment screens. By the end of 2032, the airline anticipates receiving around 700 new narrow and widebody aircraft as part of United Next, its historic growth strategy. All of these aircraft will be equipped with the newest seatback screen entertainment options.
- Employees support our commitment to being an ally for customers with disabilities by participating in Bridge, United’s Business Resource Group for People of All Abilities, to help establish a workplace climate where everyone may aspire to reach their full potential. The American Association of People with Disabilities and Disability:IN collaborated on the Disability Equality Index benchmarking tool as a way to advance the inclusion of people with disabilities, and United was recognized as the Best Place to Work for Disability Inclusion for the eighth year in a row.