Alerts Sign-up
American Airlines has become the first U.S. airline to introduce an automated tag system for mobility devices, a move aimed at enhancing the handling of wheelchairs and similar equipment across its network. The tags, developed internally by American's Technology team, are currently in use at airports where the airline and its regional partners operate.
"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."
The new automated tags replace manual ones and include customer- and device-specific data such as itineraries, delivery points, device weight, battery type, and items removed or taken on board. This added information aims to ensure more accurate handling by staff and provide enhanced visibility of these devices throughout a customer's journey. The automation also facilitates easier sharing of device information among frontline team members' applications.
