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July 27 (UPI) -- The Department of Transportation will require new single-aisle airplanes to have fully accessible lavatories for wheelchair users starting in 2026, under a new rule announced Wednesday. The new rule, revealed on the 33rd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, will require airlines to make lavatories on single-aisle aircraft large enough to hold any passenger with a disability, plus an attendant.
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"Big news: I'm pleased to announce that today, we're issuing a new rule to improve accessibility in air travel, including requiring airlines to install bathrooms that can accommodate wheelchair users," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg wrote in a tweet.
The new rule amends the department's Air Carrier Access Act regulation, which requires air transportation be "safe and accessible to individuals with disabilities."
Under the previous rule, only wide body planes were required to have accessible lavatories. Now that single-aisle aircraft -- such as Boeing 737s and Airbus A320s -- fly greater distances and are often in the air for more than six hours, the rule has been changed for newly delivered single-aisle airplanes starting in 2026.
"Traveling can be stressful enough without worrying about being able to access a restroom; yet today, millions of wheelchair users are forced to choose between dehydrating themselves before boarding a plane or avoiding air travel altogether," Buttigieg said in a statement.
"We are proud to announce this rule that will make airplane bathrooms larger and more accessible, ensuring travelers in wheelchairs are afforded the same access and dignity as the rest of the traveling public," Buttigieg added.
The new rule is part of a number of major investments, by the Biden administration, to make infrastructure more accessible.
Through President Joe Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Transportation Department has awarded billions of dollars to modernize airport terminals with wheelchair ramps and accessible restrooms.
Nearly $700 million has been spent to retrofit old rail and subway stations to improve accessibility for wheelchairs and strollers.
The Department of Transportation is also considering a new rule that would allow passengers to remain in their own wheelchairs when they fly, while training airline staff to physically assist passengers with disabilities.
And the department is working with the car industry to make sure automated and electric vehicles in the future, as well as charging infrastructure, are accessible and inclusive.
"The Americans with Disabilities Act is one of the most significant pieces of civil rights legislation in U.S. history," Buttigieg said Wednesday.
"33 years after its passage, our work continues: to ensure everyone can move freely, fairly, and safely through our transportation systems."
