Mobility device lost or damaged by an airline? USA TODAY wants to hear your story
According to the Department of Transportation, airlines "mishandle" on average about 1.5% of the mobility devices they transport.
In 2022, airlines carried 741,582 wheelchairs and scooters, and there were 11,389 incidents reported to the DOT. That's an increase from 2021, when carriers transported 553,969 mobility devices and 7,239 incidents were reported.
This year, USA TODAY wants to highlight what those figures mean for travelers with disabilities. We're looking to track these incidents throughout 2023 with the goal of bringing light to an all-too-common issue.
If your own mobility device was damaged or lost by an airline this year, please share your story with us using the form below:
Real experiences highlighted
Read Amanda Parkman's experience with Southwest Airlines on her flight to New Orleans
Read Shayn Pulley's experience with American Airlines on their flight to Philadelphia
Read Clifford Gowing's experience with American Airlines on his flight to Miami
Read Heather Bennett's experience with Delta Air Lines on her flight to Boston
Read Emily Voorde's experience with United Air Lines on her flight to South Bend
Read Colleen Flanagan's experience with JetBlue on her flight to Washington, D.C.
Read Andrew Bogdanov's experience with Frontier Airlines on his flight to Atlanta
Read Rob Birk's experience with Allegiant Air on his flight to Cincinnati
Read Emily Ladau's experience with American Airlines on her flight to New York
Read Michael Triola's experience with United Airlines on his flight to Denver
Read Ted Breslin's experience with Southwest Airlines on his flight to Reno
Read Raina Jones' experience with United Airlines on her flight to Newport News
Read Caitlyn Short's experience with American Airlines on her flight to Washington, D.C.
Read Karin Strickland's experience with American Airlines on her flight to Ft. Myers
Read Veronica Morris' experience with American Airlines on her flight to Philadelphia
Read Stephanie Groce's experience with American Airlines on her flight to San Diego via Philadelphia
Read Deanna Vaillancourt-Thompson's experience with American Airlines on her flight to Charlotte
Read Kim Harrison's experience with Southwest Airlines on her flight to Washington, D.C.
Read Maceo Carter's experience with American Airlines on his flight to Phoenix
Read Sue Volek's experience with Alaska Airlines on her flight to Anchorage
Read Sam Bukovac's experience with United Airlines on his flight to Savannah
Read Sean Baumstark's experience with Southwest Airlines on his flight to Las Vegas
Read Teresa Nguyen's experience with United Airlines on her flight to Denver
Read Neena Nizar's experience with United Airlines on her flight to Omaha
Read Bethany Piehl's experience with Southwest Airlines on her flight to San Antonio
Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at [email protected]
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Stories behind the data: 2023 airline mobility device incidents
