Airlines Required to Add Accessibility Features on New Single-Aisle Planes
Airlines will be required to add accessibility features on all new single-aisle planes delivered in three years.
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Introduction
The Department of Transportation (DOT) has finalized a new rule that requires bathrooms in new single-aisle aircraft to be wheelchair accessible.
Accessibility Features
The ruling mandates that bathrooms on new single-aisle aircraft with 125 seats or more must be larger and wheelchair-accessible. These bathrooms should include features such as grab bars, accessible faucets and controls, and accessible call buttons and door locks, according to the DOT.
Implementation and Retrofitting
Airlines are not required to retrofit existing aircraft. However, if a lavatory is replaced, accessibility features must be added. The rule will go into effect for new planes ordered within 10 years or delivered in 12 years. Airlines will be required to add accessibility features on all new single-aisle planes delivered in three years.
Transportation Secretary’s Statement
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg expressed the importance of this rule in a statement: “Traveling can be stressful enough without worrying about being able to access a restroom; yet today, millions of wheelchair users are forced to choose between dehydrating themselves before boarding a plane or avoiding air travel altogether. We are proud to announce this rule that will make airplane bathrooms larger and more accessible, ensuring travelers in wheelchairs are afforded the same access and dignity as the rest of the traveling public.”
Impact on Wheelchair Users
The rule acknowledges that the majority of aircraft lavatories are too small to accommodate on-board wheelchairs or attendants. This new requirement aims to address this issue and provide accessible lavatories for wheelchair users. Twin-aisle aircraft have already been required to have accessible lavatories for years.
Crew Training
In addition to upgrading the lavatories, airlines will be required to train crew members annually on how to stow wheelchairs and assist passengers to and from the bathrooms.
Continued Efforts for Accessibility
Last year, the DOT published the first-ever bill of rights for airline passengers with disabilities, which outlined basic rights such as airlines not refusing transportation due to a disability. Some airlines, like United Airlines, have also taken additional measures to improve accessibility. United Airlines has added Braille signage to its planes and plans to retrofit its entire mainline fleet by the end of 2026. Delta Air Lines recently unveiled a new seat prototype that allows travelers who use a powered wheelchair to remain in their own wheelchairs during flights.
Source: Travel & Leisure
SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
SDGs:
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
Targets:
- SDG 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential healthcare services, and access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all
- SDG 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status
- SDG 11.2: By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons
Indicators:
- Indicator for SDG 3.8: Proportion of population with access to essential healthcare services
- Indicator for SDG 10.2: Proportion of population with disabilities who feel they are included in society
- Indicator for SDG 11.2: Proportion of population with access to safe and affordable public transport
Explanation:
The issues highlighted in the article are related to accessibility features in airplane lavatories for individuals with disabilities, specifically wheelchair users. These issues are connected to the following Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs):
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being – The article discusses the need for accessible lavatories to ensure individuals with disabilities, such as wheelchair users, have equal access to essential healthcare services during air travel.
- SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities – The article emphasizes the importance of promoting social inclusion and reducing inequalities by providing accessible lavatories for individuals with disabilities, ensuring they have equal access and dignity while traveling.
- SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities – The article highlights the need for accessible transport systems, including airplane lavatories, to create sustainable and inclusive communities that cater to the needs of all individuals, including those with disabilities.
Based on the article’s content, the specific targets under these SDGs can be identified as follows:
- Target under SDG 3.8: The target is to achieve universal health coverage and ensure access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential healthcare services for all individuals, including those with disabilities.
- Target under SDG 10.2: The target is to empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all individuals, irrespective of their disability status, by ensuring equal access and opportunities.
- Target under SDG 11.2: The target is to provide safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport systems for all individuals, including those with disabilities, by expanding public transport and addressing the specific needs of vulnerable groups.
The article mentions or implies indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:
- Indicator for SDG 3.8: The proportion of the population with access to essential healthcare services can be used to measure progress in achieving universal health coverage, including access for individuals with disabilities.
- Indicator for SDG 10.2: The proportion of the population with disabilities who feel they are included in society can be used to assess progress in promoting social inclusion and reducing inequalities.
- Indicator for SDG 11.2: The proportion of the population with access to safe and affordable public transport can be used to measure progress in providing accessible transport systems, including airplane lavatories, for individuals with disabilities.
Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators
| SDGs | Targets | Indicators |
|---|---|---|
| SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being | Target: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential healthcare services, and access to safe, effective, quality, and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all | Indicator: Proportion of population with access to essential healthcare services |
| SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities | Target: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status | Indicator: Proportion of population with disabilities who feel they are included in society |
| SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities | Target: By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible, and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons | Indicator: Proportion of population with access to safe and affordable public transport |
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Source: yahoo.com
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