The Muscular Dystrophy Association (MDA) has been a leader in advocating for accessible air travel to protect the safety and dignity of airline passengers with disabilities. In 2023 alone, the Department of Transportation reported 10,559 wheelchairs or mobility aids damaged by airlines, a figure that reflects the previous year's 11,000 reports. In response, MDA's #AccessibleAirTravel campaign has driven historic provisions to improve air travel for people with disabilities. Timed to coincide with the 2023/2024 Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization, this campaign seized the opportunity to urge Congress to prioritize accessible air travel.
The disability rights community has long advocated for better air travel experiences, particularly for those using power wheelchairs and mobility devices. Unlike rail or bus travel, air travel lacks the protections offered by the Americans with Disabilities Act. The 2023/2024 FAA Reauthorization process presented MDA's best chance to rally for these changes, despite competing priorities on Capitol Hill. To effect substantial improvements, the campaign needed to quickly educate, advocate, and influence decision-makers while engaging the public to boost advocacy efforts and recruit new supporters. MDA's ultimate goal was to create a safer, more comfortable, and inclusive air travel experience for its community.
Traditional advocacy methods, relying on storytelling and statistics, were complemented by powerful visual narratives to convey the difficulties of flying with a disability. People with disabilities often face dehumanizing experiences when boarding and disembarking flights, processes that can lead to injury and damage to expensive mobility devices. To highlight these challenges, MDA partnered with Strategic Elements to produce unfiltered videos showing the stark realities faced by air travelers with disabilities.
Timing was crucial. The videos were released in spring and summer 2023, as key legislative committees in Congress were finalizing the FAA Reauthorization bill. Two documentary-style videos featured MDA advocates and social media influencers Madison Lawson and Mindy Henderson, showcasing their authentic travel experiences. These videos, shared on platforms like Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and LinkedIn, aimed to evoke emotional responses and drive public engagement. Madison and Mindy used their social media followings to debut the videos, direct traffic to the campaign website, and promote legislative action.
The campaign also faced logistical challenges, such as obtaining airport footage despite resistance from TSA and airline personnel. The dedication of volunteers, staff, and film crew was essential to authentically capture the realities of air travel for individuals with disabilities.
The campaign's goal was to create change, and it succeeded. On May 15, 2024, the FAA Reauthorization Act was signed into law by President Biden, incorporating significant improvements for travelers with disabilities:
- Enhanced training for airport and airline personnel on assisting passengers with disabilities and properly stowing wheelchairs.
- Continued study on allowing passengers to stay in their wheelchairs during flights.
- Mandatory reporting of wheelchair damage by airlines.
- Requirement for airlines to publish cargo hold dimensions and provide refunds when space constraints prevent wheelchair users from flying.
- Inclusion of people with disabilities in future government decisions about air travel.
- Formal inclusion of the Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights into law.
MDA advocates played a crucial role in these reforms, sending over 11,000 letters to Congress in 2023, with 5,600 messages from the #AccessibleAirTravel campaign alone. Among these, 31.43% were from new advocates. TSA Administrator David Pekoske, after viewing Mindy Henderson's video, initiated a partnership with MDA to improve airport security experiences for people with disabilities. Mindy also appeared on national news and attended a White House event, where the Department of Transportation announced further proposals for improving air travel for wheelchair users.
The campaign's videos had a significant impact:
- Madison Lawson's video generated over 1.7 million impressions and 141.5K engagements across MDA's social media channels.
- On TikTok, Madison's video went viral with 1.3 million impressions and 133.2K engagements.
- Mindy Henderson's video garnered over 325,000 impressions and 9,800 engagements across various platforms.
To celebrate the campaign's success, MDA and Strategic Elements produced follow-up videos featuring Mindy and Madison discussing the impact of the legislative changes. These videos, interspersed with lawmakers' comments, continue to be promoted online, drawing new supporters and motivating ongoing advocacy for accessible air travel.
The #AccessibleAirTravel campaign exemplifies the power of advocacy in creating meaningful change. Through compelling storytelling, strategic timing, and robust engagement efforts, the campaign successfully raised awareness, garnered public support, and influenced legislative action to enhance accessibility and inclusivity in air travel.
