Event marks 40 years of the Air Carrier Access Act and PVA’s continued fight for accessible air travel

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo., Oct. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Paralyzed Veterans of America today is bringing together leading aviation experts, policymakers, and members of the veterans and disability communities for its second annual Access to the Skies Summit Co-presented by All Wheels Up. Millions of travelers with disabilities continue to face significant barriers when flying, including damaged mobility equipment, inconsistent accommodations, and accessibility challenges throughout the travel journey. PVA’s Access to the Skies Summit provides a platform for stakeholders across the aviation ecosystem to collaborate on meaningful solutions that improve safety, dignity and independence for all passengers.

Held as the nation marks the 40^th anniversary of the landmark Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA), which PVA helped champion, the Summit comes at a pivotal moment for accessible air travel as hard-fought new protections have recently taken effect while other critical disability rights remain under federal review.

“Forty years ago, PVA helped turn the experiences of travelers with disabilities into a landmark civil rights law, and today, we are still fighting to make the promise of that law a reality,” said Carl Blake, U.S. Army veteran and chief executive officer of Paralyzed Veterans of America. “We know what is possible when people with disabilities have a seat at the table and their voices drive change. Our Access to the Skies Summit builds on that legacy by challenging all of us to think bigger and keep pushing toward an air travel system where safety, dignity, and access are built in from the start.”

The Summit program opened with remarks from All Wheels Up and PVA, followed by a fireside chat with Heather Ansley of PVA and Blane Workie of the U.S. Department of Transportation marking 40 years of the Air Carrier Access Act. Additional sessions offered practical guidance for travelers with disabilities, including how to prepare for an air travel journey and how to address problems during a trip, with perspectives from representatives of the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, the University of Illinois Chicago, Incredible Memories Travel, and Accessible Travel Network, as well as United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and PVA. The event concluded with a forward-looking discussion featuring experts from United Airlines, Airbus, Beneficial Designs, Boeing and the Federal Aviation Administration on what the future of accessible commercial aviation should look like.

“Real change happens when the people who experience these barriers firsthand are in the room with the people researching, designing, and implementing solutions,” said Michele Erwin, founder and president of All Wheels Up. “That is what makes Access to the Skies so valuable, and we are proud to co-present this event with PVA to help create a space where lived experience, innovation, and industry expertise can come together to move accessible air travel from what should be possible to what travelers can actually expect.”

Four decades after the ACAA became law, it remains the foundation of federal protections against disability-based discrimination in air travel. PVA has continued to push those protections forward, including through its advocacy for DOT’s 2024 rule, “Ensuring Safe Accommodations for Air Travelers with Disabilities Using Wheelchairs,” which established stronger standards for assistance, wheelchair handling, employee training, and responses when mobility devices are damaged or delayed. Most recently, on June 17, new requirements championed by PVA took effect requiring airline employees and contractors who physically assist passengers with mobility disabilities or handle their wheelchairs and scooters to receive in-depth, hands-on training and demonstrate their competency before performing those duties.

As PVA celebrates 80 years of impact, Access to the Skies carries forward the organization’s legacy of turning the experiences and advocacy of individual veterans into lasting change for millions. From helping secure the nation’s landmark civil rights law protecting air travelers with disabilities to shaping the next generation of protections, PVA remains committed to ensuring the freedom its members fought to defend includes the freedom to travel.

To learn more about PVA’s efforts to make air travel accessible, visit PVA.org/AirTravel. To tune in online, register here. 

About Paralyzed Veterans of America
Paralyzed Veterans of America is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and the only congressionally chartered veterans service organization dedicated solely for the benefit and representation of veterans with spinal cord injury or diseases. The organization ensures veterans receive the benefits earned through service to our nation; monitors their care in VA spinal cord injury units; and funds research and education in the search for a cure and improved care for individuals with paralysis.

As a life-long partner and advocate for veterans and all people with disabilities, PVA also develops training and career services, works to ensure accessibility in public buildings and spaces, and provides health and rehabilitation opportunities through sports and recreation. With more than 70 offices and 33 chapters, Paralyzed Veterans of America serves veterans, their families, and their caregivers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Learn more at PVA.org.

About All Wheels Up
All Wheels Up is dedicated to advancing wheelchair-accessible air travel and ensuring a more inclusive flying experience for all passengers with disabilities. Through proof-of-concept research, dynamic crash testing, collaboration, and strategic advocacy, we are helping to dismantle long-standing impediments to safety and inclusion—reshaping aviation with solutions rooted in both rigorous science and lived experience.

As the pioneering 501(c)(3) nonprofit conducting FAA-compliant testing on wheelchair securement systems, All Wheels Up is proud to help lead the advancement toward equitable air travel. We leverage insights and evidence from crash tests, collaborative research, and expert observations to drive systematic change—from policy reform to engineering solutions. Learn more at allwheelsup.org.

Contact: Oname Thompson
OnameT@PVA.org
(703) 864-5980 cell

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SOURCE Paralyzed Veterans of America