American Launches New Way to Tag Wheelchairs, Mobility Devices

American Airlines is trying to make traveling with mobility aids more convenient.

Carrier based in Fort Worth, Texas announced This week, the company is rolling out new automated tags for wheelchairs and other mobility devices that display specific information about the traveler and device, including itinerary and route, as well as the device’s weight and battery type.

Automatically storing all this information on the card makes it easy for ground staff to understand what needs to be done with each piece of equipment.

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Previously, these tags were manually recorded for each device inspected, so this move not only saves time but also hopefully reduces the number of mobile devices that are mishandled.

American is the first US airline to roll out this automated card, a product developed in-house by the airline’s technology team.

“American is committed to improving the travel experience for customers who use wheelchairs and mobility devices. Streamlining the check-in and tagging process is an industry-leading effort that will further improve how we handle wheelchairs for customers who entrust us with their devices throughout their journey,” Julie Rath, American’s senior vice president of airports, reservations and service recovery, said in a statement.

These cards are available at all airports where American and regional partners operate under the American Eagle brand.

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In fact, this is just the latest innovation in how American handles mobility devices. The airline recently rolled out a new hands-on training program for ground staff and customer service agents who handle these devices; it complements its existing web-based training.

The airline has also added more mobility devices and wheelchair lifts at many of its hubs and high-traffic terminals, helping to reduce the risk of damaging equipment or harming staff.

Starting this fall, American will let travelers save and apply their travel preferences to their booking page. This means American Airlines AAdvantage Your profile will include flags indicating whether you plan to travel with a mobility device or service animal. You can then easily apply these preferences to any upcoming trips when you manage them on the American website.

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