Bathrooms on single-aisle aircraft with 125 or more seats now must be bigger to accommodate handicapped people, the Department of Transportation announced Wednesday.
The rule change, authorized by the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986, requires at least one of a single-aisle plane’s bathrooms to be large enough to fit a passenger with a disability along with an attendant, each equivalent in size to a man in the 95th percentile.
In addition, bathrooms must have visual barriers, faucets, controls, door locks and grab bars accessible to the handicapped. Plus, onboard wheelchairs need to go frontward into lavatories and have proper wheel locks, cushioning and restraints.
While the in-bathroom accessibility upgrades will be required for all new aircraft being delivered starting three years after the new rule takes effect, the larger lavatory size will be mandated only in planes ordered 10 years or delivered 12 years after the rule takes effect.
The rule will take effect 60 days after it appears in the Federal Register. As of Thursday morning, the accessible bathroom final rule had not been published.
Existing airplane stock will not be required to be retrofitted, but if an airline replaces a plane’s existing bathroom three or more years after the rule takes effect, the new facility will need to meet the DOT rules.
“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,” Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
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