14 CFR Parts 382 and 399; 49 CFR Part 27 - Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel: Accessibility of Web Sites and Automated Kiosks at U.S. Airports - Preamble
Summary of Major Provisions
| Web Site Accessibility | |
| Scope/Coverage |
• Requires U.S. and foreign carriers that operate at least one aircraft having a seating capacity of more than 60 passengers, and own or control a primary Web site that markets air transportation to consumers in the United States to ensure that public-facing pages on their primary Web site are accessible to individuals with disabilities. • Requires ticket agents that are not small businesses to disclose and offer Web-based fares to passengers who indicate that they are unable to use an agent's Web site due to a disability. |
| Web Site Accessibility Standard | • Requires carriers to ensure that Web pages on their primary Web sites associated with core travel information and services conform to all Level AA success criteria of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 within two years of the rule's effective date and that all other Web pages on their primary Web sites are conformant within three years of the rule's effective date. |
| Usability Testing of Web Sites | • Requires carriers to test the usability of their accessible primary Web sites in consultation with individuals or organizations representing visual, auditory, tactile, and cognitive disabilities. |
| Equivalent Service |
• Requires carriers to provide applicable Web-based fare discounts and other Web-based amenities to customers with a disability who cannot use their Web sites due to a disability. • Requires ticket agents to provide applicable Web-based fare discounts on and after 180 days from the rule's effective date to customers with a disability who cannot use an agent's Web sites due to a disability. |
| Online Disability Accommodation Requests | • Requires carriers to make an online service request form available within two years of the rule's effective date for passengers with disabilities to request services including, but not limited to, wheelchair assistance, seating accommodation, escort assistance for a visually impaired passenger, and stowage of an assistive device. |
| Automated Airport Kiosk Accessibility | |
| Scope, Coverage, and Kiosk Accessibility |
• Requires U.S. and foreign air carriers that own, lease, or control automated airport kiosks at U.S. airports with 10,000 or more annual enplanements to ensure that all new automated airport kiosks installed three or more years after the rule's effective date meet required technical accessibility standards until at least 25 percent of automated kiosks in each location at the airport is accessible. Accessible kiosks provided in each location at the airport must provide all the same functions as the inaccessible kiosks in that location. These goals must be met within ten years after the rule's effective date. • Requires airlines and airports to ensure that all shared-use automated airport kiosks installed three or more years after the rule's effective date meet required technical accessibility standards until at least 25 percent of automated kiosks in each location at the airport is accessible. Accessible kiosks provided in each location at the airport must provide all the same functions as the inaccessible kiosks in that location. These goals must be met within ten years after the rule's effective date. |
| Identification and Maintenance of Accessible Kiosks | • Requires carriers and airports to ensure that accessible automated airport kiosks are visually and tactilely identifiable and maintained in working condition. |
| Joint and Several Liability | • Makes carriers and airports jointly and severally liable for ensuring that shared-use automated airport kiosks meet accessibility requirements. |
| Priority Access | • Requires carriers to give passengers with a disability requesting an accessible automated kiosk priority access to any available accessible kiosk the carrier owns, leases, or controls in that location at the airport. |
| Equivalent Service | • Requires carriers to provide equivalent service upon request to passengers with a disability who cannot readily use their automated airport kiosks. |
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