WHY WE EXIST

WHEELCHAIR DAMAGE in the U.S.

Forced to Transfer – Air travel requires wheelchair users to leave their own mobility devices behind and sit in standard airplane seats
Checked Like Luggage – Wheelchairs must be stored in the aircraft’s baggage hold, treated as cargo rather than essential mobility equipment
Zero Protection – Chairs are stowed without covers or safeguards, exposed to crushing luggage, shifting cargo, and careless handling during boarding and landing

Powerless and Vulnerable – without our wheelchairs, our independence is lost
Stranded and Stuck – Damage can leave users immobilized in airports, far from home and support
Weeks to Months Without Mobility – Repairs require specialized service that often drags on for months
Injury Waiting to Happen – Ill-fitting loaner chairs force users into unsafe, uncomfortable positions, increasing the risk of pain and injury

65% of wheelchair users depend on custom or semi-custom manual chairs, priced between $1,000 and $10,000
Even “minor” repairs often start at $250 — and in severe cases, can match the full cost of the chair
The Air Carrier Access Act of 1986 holds airlines liable for the cost of repairs, but wheelchairs are still left to make emergency changes to their trips at their own immediate expense and reimbursement can take months to successfully negotiate

This number is expected to grow as the national population increases and ages
Fewer than 20% of wheelchair users traveled by air in 2024, compared to 44% of the general population
This means millions of wheelchair users avoid flying, not out of choice, but because the risk to their mobility equipment is simply too great