Travel agents who sell air should be aware that a new rule from the U.S. Department of Transportation regulating the accessibility of air travel for people with disabilities may apply to them.
While much of the new rule on Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel affects only airlines and airports, the DOT also made a change to its advertising policy that will directly affect “ticket agents” – including some travel agents and tour operators – by the summer of 2014.
The final rule will require air ticket sellers to disclose and offer web-based fares to passengers who indicate that they are unable to use the seller’s website due to a disability.
Effective June 10, 2014, the DOT will deem it an unfair and deceptive advertising practice for a ticket seller to fail to offer web-based fares to any “prospective passengers who contact the agent through other channels (e.g., by telephone or in the agent’s place of business) and indicate they are unable to use the agent’s website due to a disability.”
Small business exception
Not all travel agents and tour firms will be required to comply with the new regulations however.
The DOT rule will not apply to ticket sellers who are small businesses, as defined by the Small Business Administration (SBA) in its regulations. For travel agencies and tour operators, a small business is one with total annual revenues of less than $19 million, including commissions.
Train your staff
For those who do have to comply, implementation of the new advertising rule should be as simple as training sales associates and other employees who have contact with the public to respond appropriately to customer requests for accommodation due to a disability.