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119-hr-9373119th CongressWALLET

Air Carrier Access Amendments Act of 2026

Sponsored By: Representative Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]

Introduced

Summary

Creates a private right of action and stronger enforcement against disability discrimination in air travel. This bill would add civil penalties for harms like damaged wheelchairs, denied boarding, unsafe handling of service animals, and gross negligence, and it would let the Attorney General pursue lawsuits on behalf of affected passengers.

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  • Passengers with disabilities: Would be able to sue in U.S. district court within 2 years for compensatory and punitive damages. Prevailing plaintiffs could recover attorney fees, expert fees, and court costs, and would not have to exhaust administrative remedies.
  • Air carriers and foreign carriers: Could be assessed civil penalties under section 46301 for enumerated violations including delay, loss, or significant damage to mobility devices, failure to provide required boarding or deplaning assistance, denial of access for service animals, physical harm, or gross negligence.
  • Federal enforcement and coordination: The Secretary of Transportation must refer pattern-or-public-importance discrimination to the Attorney General after assessing penalties, and the Attorney General could seek equitable relief, damages, and additional penalties.

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Bill Overview

Analyzed Economic Effects

3 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.

Right to sue airlines for disability

If enacted, you would be able to sue an airline in federal court within two years if you are harmed by disability-based violations. Relief could include compensatory and punitive damages. Courts would have to award reasonable attorney fees, reasonable expert fees, and court costs to the prevailing party. You would not need to finish or exhaust agency complaints before filing.

Attorney General can sue airlines

If enacted, the Attorney General would be able to bring civil suits in federal court on behalf of people harmed by disability-based airline violations. Courts could order fixes, and when the Attorney General asks, could award money to harmed individuals and fines to carriers. After the Secretary assesses penalties, the Secretary would have to refer matters that show a pattern of discrimination or raise issues of public importance to the Attorney General.

New fines for disability-related harms

If enacted, the Transportation Secretary would have to assess civil penalties for certain disability-related airline harms. Covered harms would include delay, loss, or significant damage to wheelchairs or scooters; physical harm or death from required services; failure to provide required aisle-chair boarding or deplaning help; improper denial of boarding or service-animal access; and acts of gross negligence. Penalties would be assessed under existing law (section 46301).

Sponsors & CoSponsors

Sponsor

Titus, Dina [D-NV-1]

NV • D

Cosponsors

  • Rep. Cohen, Steve [D-TN-9]

    TN • D

    Sponsored 6/18/2026

  • Rep. Brownley, Julia [D-CA-26]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 6/18/2026

  • Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]

    DC • D

    Sponsored 6/18/2026

  • Rep. Carson, André [D-IN-7]

    IN • D

    Sponsored 6/18/2026

  • Rep. Garcia, Robert [D-CA-42]

    CA • D

    Sponsored 6/23/2026

  • Rep. García, Jesús G. "Chuy" [D-IL-4]

    IL • D

    Sponsored 6/25/2026

  • Rep. Hayes, Jahana [D-CT-5]

    CT • D

    Sponsored 9/21/2026

Roll Call Votes

No roll call votes available for this bill.

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