American Airlines Rolls Out Automated Tags for Wheelchairs

American Airlines is rolling out automated tags for mobility devices across its network, showcasing its commitment to improving the travel experience for passengers who use wheelchairs and others who require mobility devices.

Developed by American Airlines’ in-house design team, that tag will streamline the check-in process for wheelchair users in airports where American operates.

The automated devices supersede the manual tags previously used. They include many essential travel data, including delivery points, itineraries, device weight, battery type, and the number of items taken on board.

Photo: Courtesy of American Airlines

This information will aid airline staff in handling mobility devices and enable them to optimize users’ journeys from start to finish.

Furthermore, the automated tags allow the device’s information to be easily shared between staff member’s applications, ensuring they can act in the passenger’s interest without delay.

“American is committed to improving the travel experience for our customers who use wheelchairs and mobility devices,” said Julie Rath, American’s Senior Vice President of Airports, Reservations and Service Recovery.

“Streamlining the check-in and tagging process is an industry-leading effort that will help us further improve how we handle wheelchairs for our customers who entrust us to transport their devices on their journey.”

Photo: American Airlines, Airbus A319. Courtesy of Justin Hu / Unsplash

Automated tags are the latest in a growing list of improvements American Airlines has made to improve the experience of passengers who require wheelchairs and mobility devices.

For example, they coordinate with external experts to provide in-person mobility device training to their Airport Customer Service and Customer Operations teams while offering virtual training sessions to all American Airlines’ airport staff.

They have also outfitted their hubs with wheelchair-friendly lifts and movers, paying special attention to those with high mobility device traffic. Meanwhile, they’ve optimized their tech to make it easier for passengers to add wheelchairs and other mobility devices to their online travel profiles.

And from this fall, customers can access their stored travel preferences, like flying with a mobility device or service animal, and apply them while booking a trip online.

Photo: American Airlines Integrated Operating Center. Courtesy of American Airlines

However, there is work to be done by airlines to optimize the flying experience for mobility device users.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) alleges that U.S. airlines typically mishandle 1.4 percent of the mobile devices they accommodate on board. There were 11,527 incidents reported in 2023 across the U.S. aeronautical industry – 2,589 of which were associated with American Airlines and its regional partners.

Despite this, the carrier claims that its handling rate of mobility devices improved by almost 13 percent between the first half of 2023 and the first half of 2024.