Experiencing firsthand the difficulties of traveling with a wheelchair, she knew something needed to be done and was compelled to take action. This led her to pioneer efforts in crash-testing wheelchairs for safe and accessible commercial flights.
She discovered that existing wheelchair restraints from Q’Straint, commonly used in accessible vans and buses, could exceed the FAA’s 16 G requirement. Motivated by this finding, she began testing these restraints and collaborating with regulators, such as the FAA, airlines, airplane manufacturers, and Congress, to work toward making airplanes accessible.
For years, the disability community has advocated for the ability to safely fly in airplanes while remaining in their wheelchairs. However, air travel continues to pose significant challenges, with poor experiences prompting many to avoid it entirely. Wheelchairs are often damaged or misplaced, resulting in millions of dollars in repair and replacement costs for airlines, along with loss of customer trust and reputational harm. For passengers, these incidents mean loss of mobility, emotional distress, and inconvenient delays.
All Wheels Up has long championed the right of passengers to fly safely while remaining in their wheelchairs, but accessible air travel must address far more than this issue. Millions of people with disabilities–visible and invisible—spanning mobility, sensory, and cognitive needs—continue to face significant obstacles, from inadequate seating accommodations to communication barriers in airline procedures. Overcoming these challenges requires a coordinated approach—advancing policies, leveraging technology, and fostering industry-wide collaboration. That’s why we expanded our work in advocacy, research, and testing. At All Wheels Up, we partner with stakeholders to ensure meaningful change, building a future where every passenger can fly with dignity and confidence.
This historic flight took him to the Yalta Conference with Winston Churchill and Joseph Stalin. The plane was specially equipped with an elevator to accommodate FDR and his wheelchair.
Similarly, modern military cargo planes like the C-130 and C-17 feature versatile configurations and cargo tracking systems that enable the transportation of wheelchair users, particularly during aeromedical evacuations and humanitarian missions.
All Wheels Up takes a multifaceted approach to achieve accessible air travel, focusing on research, advocacy, and collaboration:
With a focus on technology, research, human factors, training, legislation, and policy, the forum plays a vital role in shaping solutions that ensure safer and more dignified experiences for all passengers. The forum aims to advance wheelchair securement systems and other accessibility improvements on commercial planes to promote safer, more dignified accessible air travel for all.
Support our mission to create a wheelchair spot on planes!
