Jet Setting July
- July 2: White Canes and Guide Dogs in Maryland and Beyond
- July 9: Rideshares in Maryland: Rights and Tips
- July 16: Air Transportation Rights
- July 23: Paratransit in Maryland
- July 30: Public Transit in Maryland
When traveling by air, some of our rights are different than they are when using ground transportation. From the presence of security checkpoints to air travel-specific rules, let’s explore our rights when it comes to traveling by air.
Security Checkpoints
Airports have long required passengers to submit to security screenings of the person and luggage. For more than two decades, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has had responsibility for these security checks, and rules about what items can be taken through the checkpoints apply to all airports in the U.S. Check out TSA’s What Can I Bring? web page for more details.
Nevertheless, rules about which items need to be removed from carry-on luggage vary from airport to airport, so be prepared to remove liquids, food, and electronics larger than a cell phone, like tablets, laptop computers, and refreshable braille displays. Also, consider wearing shoes that are easy to take off and to put on and emptying pockets before entering the security line.
Regarding the security check of your person, most airports have automatic screening machines.
Guide dogs: As with white canes, we do not have to move around without our guide dogs. Find out more on the TSA Travel Tips: Navigating the Airport with a Guide Dog web page.
Our rights to reasonable accommodations remain largely the same at airport security checkpoints; we can request assistance from TSA officers. We also have the right to refuse assistance – but not to refuse to be screened. In general, TSA security screening can be somewhat stressful, but communication helps smooth the process.
For more information, check out the “TSA Triple Jump” section of the Bridges Resource Library Rights When Traveling by Air Bridges Resource Library entry.
On the Plane; It’s a Different World
In most areas of life in the U.S., the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) provides civil rights protections. However, on air flights, another federal law, the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) is in effect. For more information, check out the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)’s “Passengers with Disabilities – 36th Anniversary of the Air Carrier Act web page. Another great resource is the USDOT Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights.
Assigned seating/Preboarding
If we want preboarding to allow for more time to board (and stow our carry-on luggage and to store a straight white cane or get settled in with our guide dog), we should make that request when we purchase our ticket. However, we can generally contact the airline later – including at the gate – to request preboarding. Even if we have already requested preboarding services, it’s helpful to let the gate agent know before boarding begins.
If we want other services (such as specific seating or mobility assistance to or from the plane) as a reasonable accommodation, at least 24 hours before your flight, we make this request of the airline on which we are traveling.
White cane storage
An airline may not take your cane away from you on a flight. However, your cane must be stored in a manner consistent with the rules of the airline. For example, a cane may not roll around on the floor or impede the walkway. Many users of non-collapsible long white canes find that using a window seat will allow them to store the cane along the side of the place – just as they may do in a car. The key is this: you have the right to have your cane with you as long as you store it properly.
Guide dogs
Unlike a public place, an airline MAY require a completed U.S. Department of Transportation Service Animal Air Transportation Form. Additionally, if the flight will last longer than eight hours, the airline may require a completed DOT Service Animal Relief Attestation Form.
Contact the FAA for complaints about discrimination
If you believe that you have experienced discrimination, you have the right to make a complaint to the airline’s Complaint Resolution Official (CRO) at the airport, contacting the USDOT Aviation Consumer Protection Division’s Disability Hotline at 1-800-778-4838 (staffed from M-F, 9AM – 5PM, ET), and/or to file an online complaint to using the USDOT Air Travel Service Complaint or Comment Form (Not Related to Airline Safety or Security Issues).
More Information In the Bridges Resource Library
Air travel rights: Rights When Traveling by Air Bridges Resource Library entry
Traveling internationally by air, check out the Case Study – Flying to Costa Rica With A Guide Dog Bridges Resource Library entry
Ride-share rights (for traveling to and from the airport):
- Guide Dog User Rights in Ride-shares and Cabs Bridges Resource Library entry
- Guide Dog User Rights in Maryland Reference Sheet Bridges Resource Library entry
- White Cane User Rights Bridges Resource Library entry
- White Cane User Rights in Maryland Reference Sheet Bridges Resource Library entry
Reach Out to Us at the Free Bridges Helpdesk anytime!
Most people of all ages and abilities find self-advocacy to be stressful and demanding; you are not alone. Please reach out to us; we at the Bridges Helpdesk are eager to support you throughout the process, and we’ll support your decisions (including a decision to refrain from reporting a violation). The key is that we are always here to support you.
Please check out the Bridges Technical Assistance Center Resource Library today!
Contact us
Follow the Bridges Helpdesk Facebook page for more transition tips, and please contact the Bridges Technical Assistance Center’s Free Helpdesk for Maryland Blind/Low Vision Transition Students, Families, and Educators anytime using:
- Our Accessible web form
- Email: Helpdesk@IMAGEmd.org
- Text or Leave a Voice mail message: (410) 357-1546
- Bridges Helpdesk Facebook page or Facebook Messenger
This unique project is being coordinated through The IMAGE Center of Maryland, a center for independent living in Towson, and it is funded by a grant from the Maryland Department of Education Division of Special Education/Early Intervention Services.