Junk Fees Hit Disabled People Too

The disability community is heavily impacted by the Crip Tax, whether it’s in the form of so-called junk fees or simply a higher cost of living. The toll is physically, emotionally, mentally, and financially exhausting simply fighting for our right to exist.

"President Biden dedicated quite a bit of airtime in his State of the Union address to the Junk Fees Prevention Act, a push to limit hidden fees and surcharges in a number of industries. The proposed legislation would curtail companies from overcharging on things like extra resort fees at hotels, service fees at concerts and sporting events, and added costs charged by airlines so that family members can sit together."
Deepa Shivaram, Emily Olson–NPR

President Biden talked extensively about the Junk Fee Prevention Act in his State of the Union Address. While the White House cited research from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau highlighting the racial disparities of added fees, the disability community is also adversely affected. We routinely pay the colloquial “Crip Tax” simply to level the playing field.

Consider the most recent data released by the U.S. Department of Transportation that found airlines mishandled 941 wheelchairs or scooters in November of 2022; or roughly 1.5% of mobility equipment. While that number may seem small to non-disabled people, if those were your legs, you’d be more cautious.

Uber settled a multi-million dollar lawsuit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice last year over the illegal practice of wait time fees— disproportionately affecting disabled passengers.

Our hotel rooms often come with increased costs, too. The ADA prohibits charging more for accessible rooms, yet hotels and travel sites try to get away with it anyway hoping uninformed travelers will simply not know the law or be too exhausted to contest the rate hike. I recently lost hours on the phone with American Express resolving excess fees associated with booking an accessible room through their travel portal at Virgin Hotels.

The Biden administration talked about excessive ticketing fees for concerts. Here again, the disability community faces added expenses. We often pay more for our seats because venues do little to verify that the limited quantity of accessible seating goes to disabled patrons rather than scalpers charging a premium. I’m working with local venues in Washington D.C. including Capital One Arena to help address this challenge.

These are just the simple things. Pricer items like healthcare, transportation, and medical equipment are essential, which is why I was glad to see the administration tout a proposed rule change simplifying reporting requirements for the more than 7 million disabled people who receive monthly Supplemental Social Security Administration benefits.

The disability community is heavily impacted by the Crip Tax, whether it’s in the form of so-called junk fees or simply a higher cost of living. The toll is physically, emotionally, mentally, and financially exhausting simply fighting for our right to exist.

Jim Langevin barred from flying because of lithium-ion battery

"When airline staff learned that [Representative Langevin's] wheelchair used lithium-ion batteries - a lighter-weight, more durable type of battery - they refused to let him bring it on the flight. Although federal and international aviation officials have ruled that the batteries can be transported safely, Lufthansa employees at Boston Logan International Airport - BOS wrongly cited safety concerns that the battery could overheat and catch on fire."
- Amanda Morris, The Washington Post

For the first time since the pandemic, I traveled by airplane to visit Boston. As a wheelchair user traveling with Canine Companions® Pico, I did a ton of legwork communicating with JetBlue's executive office ahead of my flight. I provided them with paperwork about my chair frame and my wheels which utilize the same lithium-ion battery as Congressman Langevin. I also provided the airline with the newly required U.S. Department of Transportation forms and Service Animal Transportation Solutions ID that went into effect in December 2020 with the updates to the Air Carrier Access Act. (H/T to Eric Lipp of Open Doors Organization for streamlining that process).

Getting through security was aided by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) pre-check as it meant they treated my chair and Pico with much less scrutiny than prior travel.

Once at the gate, I handed the agent roughly 20 pages of printouts including all the documentation I had shared with the airline's executive team over e-mail in the days and weeks leading up to my departure. Much to their credit, the gate agents at Logan and the in-flight crew on both legs were incredibly helpful and I had zero challenges boarding my flights.

Sadly that's still not the norm for disabled travelers and Congressman Langevin's experience is far too common despite what the Federal Aviation Administration allows. Complicating matters, most wheelchair users wouldn't have the resources or clout to utilize the same solutions that allowed the Congressman to board a later flight with a different chair.

Flying with a disability shouldn't take a Ph.D. in planning, the resources of a Congressman, or the luck of the draw of awesome gate agents and in-flight crew.

Representation matters in all areas of an organization, including Congress, without which these issues would take much longer to get the attention they deserve. I am fortunate to have had the chance to meet Representative Langevin when I worked on the Hill in 2008. He was one of the first people I met with a disability who ascended to such a highly visible position and served as a major influence in my decision to pursue advocacy work. He will be sorely missed in Congress, and his departure leaves big shoes to fill.

#Disability #DisabilityAwareness #Travel #RepresentationMatters #FlyingWhileDisabled #Planning #Transportation