The DOT has issued long-delayed proposals for better
lavatory access on single-aisle aircraft for disabled flyers.
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking applies to planes with
seating capacity of 125 or more. Its release comes 29 months after the passing
of a July 2017 deadline set by Congress and pursuant to a Dec. 6 order by the U.S.
Court of Appeals in Denver that gave the department until today, Dec. 16, to
explain the reason for the delay.
At present, airlines are not required to provide accessible
lavatories on single-aisle aircraft. The lack of requirements is a growing
problem because airlines increasingly are using narrowbodies for long-haul
flights, the DOT said.
“The inability to use the lavatory on long flights can
present significant challenges to passengers with disabilities and poses a
deterrent for some passengers with disabilities to travel by air,” the
department said.
Monday’s proposals wouldn’t require larger lavatories. But
airplanes with 125 or more seats would be required to have at least one
disabled-accessible lavatory.
Such bathrooms would be required to have assist handles.
Call buttons and door locks would have to be accessible from a seated position.
And lavatory controls and dispensers, including faucet temperature controls,
would have to be discernible via touch.
The regulations would apply to new aircraft beginning three
years after they are finalized. Existing aircraft would not have to be
retrofitted, though any retrofits voluntarily undertaken by airlines would have
to comply with the new standards.
The proposal would also require airlines to have an onboard
wheelchair designed to permit entry into the aircraft lavatory.
Finally, the proposal includes new training requirements for
flight attendants on providing lavatory assistance to disabled passengers.
While this rulemaking doesn’t address requiring larger
lavatories, the DOT said that it plans to shortly issue a public notice
soliciting comment on the costs and benefits of requiring airlines to make
lavatories on new single-aisle aircraft equivalent in size to those currently
found on twin-aisle aircraft.
The DOT is accepting comments on the proposed rules for 60
days at Regulations.gov, docket number DOT-OST-2019-0180.