Home - All Wheels Up

Accessible air travel for people who...

travel

need a little more time

rely on mobility devices

face everyday barriers with dignity

navigate the world differently

Our story

Founder Michele Erwin established All Wheels Up in 2011 after flying with her son Greyson, who has SMA.

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.

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Our impact

All Wheels Up takes a multifaceted approach to achieve accessible air travel, focusing on research, advocacy, and collaboration:

Crash Testing and Research: All Wheels Up is the first organization to fund and conduct crash testing of wheelchairs and wheelchair securement systems to meet the FAA’s 16G dynamic testing standards. This research demonstrates the feasibility of safely securing wheelchairs in airplane cabins.

Collaboration with Stakeholders: All Wheels Up works closely with regulators like the FAA, airlines, airplane manufacturers, and Congress to develop practical solutions. They also engage with experts in engineering, aviation, and healthcare to ensure safety and accessibility.

Advocacy and Legislative Efforts: All Wheels Up has successfully advocated for the inclusion of accessibility measures in legislation, such as the FAA Reauthorization Act. This includes funding for feasibility studies and a roadmap for implementing wheelchair securement systems on commercial flights.

Awareness and Education: Through grassroots efforts, All Wheels Up raises awareness about the challenges faced by wheelchair users during air travel. We aim to educate the public and industry stakeholders about the importance of accessible air travel for all.

Working Groups and Committees: All Wheels Up brings together key stakeholders through dedicated working groups and committees, fostering collaboration to tackle technical and policy challenges in accessible air travel. These teams play a critical role in sharing innovations, developing solutions, and currently advancing the implementation of in-cabin wheelchair securement systems—ensuring meaningful progress toward a more inclusive aviation industry.

Our ultimate goal is to make air travel more inclusive.

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Stakeholders participated

Crash tests conducted

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Raised for open source research

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Industry Professionals

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Airlines

Critical Discussions

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Global forum

The All Wheels Up Global Forum for Accessible Air Travel is the only annual event of its kind, bringing together global leaders to drive innovation, foster collaboration, and address the critical challenges in accessible air travel.

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.

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FORBES 200 List for Accessibility

The Forbes Accessibility 200, which highlights the top innovators and impact-makers in the field of accessibility for people with disabilities, is compiled on the basis of more than 700 interviews and conversations with industry experts, as well as input from an expert advisory board.

Learn more about Forbes Accessibility List