Describing experiences of wheelchair and mobility scooter damage, loss, and delays during air travel: An international survey of people with disabilities

People who use wheelchairs and mobility scooters regularly report that their devices are damaged or lost during air travel. This can cause cascading and life-altering impacts. This paper's three objectives are to (1) quantify the prevalence of wheelchair and mobility scooter damage, loss, and delayed returns during air travel, (2) determine the impacts of the damage, loss, and delays, and (3) develop recommendations to prevent future damage, loss, and delays. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses, as well as a word frequency analysis of open-ended survey responses, were used to gain insight into the frequency, types, and impacts of damage and loss. We also looked for a relationship between device types and whether compensation for loss or damage was offered. A total of 455 survey responses from wheelchair and/or mobility scooter users were analyzed. This 2023 international survey revealed that 67% of respondents reported mobility device damage, 58% reported delays in receiving their devices, and 37% reported lost devices or accessories. Many negative impacts of device damage, loss, and delays were reported, including travel avoidance and incurring out-of-pocket repair costs. Finally, we found that passengers were significantly more likely to receive compensation for damage to a manual wheelchair than a motorized wheelchair (p = 0.007). Results demonstrate an urgent need to determine the root causes of mobility device mismanagement so that preventive strategies and actions can be developed, evaluated, and implemented. • Mobility device damage was more frequently reported than delayed or lost devices. • Lost accessories and time separated from one's device were prominent. • There is a significant relationship between device type and compensation offered. • A medical model prevails, placing responsibility on passengers with disabilities. • There is an urgent need to identify root causes of mobility device mismanagement.