It might be my age, but time goes quickly these days, and 2nd of October 2026 is just the blink of an eye away. Why is that important? Because it’s the date that all new single-aisle aircraft that operate with an FAA-certificated maximum seating capacity of 125 or more, that are delivered on or after October 2, 2026, and on which lavatories are provided MUST carry an on-board wheelchair – meeting the requirements of the DoT Regulation 14 CFR Part 382.65 amendment.
There’s a lot going on right now regarding accessibility and air travel so it would be easy to miss the significance of this amid the noise created by TV figures like Sophie Morgan or high-profile accessibility campaigners like Chris Woods.
But for us at Airchair and, dare I say it, for the airlines, this deadline is of vital importance as it marks a significant step in the journey of enforcing practical, affordable regulations that will benefit the vast majority of passengers requiring special assistance
The amendment will improve access to facilities for less able and disabled passengers on single-aisle aircraft that have more than 125 seats. It doesn’t go as far as to mandate an accessible toilet on these types of aircraft, that will not happen for another 10 years*, but it does set out expectations and improvements in the design of onboard wheelchairs to facilitate easy, dignified access to toilet facilities on planes.
As the world’s leading manufacturer of onboard wheelchairs, we have adapted our original Airchair design to produce a new model that complies with all the requirements of the newly amended regulation. Airchair II offers all the benefits of the original design but ensures that airlines comply with the new regulation.
We continue to engage and contribute to the industry-wide discussions on the future developments in aircraft interior design that will better support wheelchair users and those who need special assistance onboard the aircraft. In the meantime, we are pleased to support this new regulation as we believe it is a positive step forward in ensuring that every passenger aircraft carries an aisle chair – providing practical accessibility today.
by Sarah McOnie, Airchair