United Airlines has agreed to pay $1.1 million for failing to adequately help travelers who need wheelchairs, the Department of Transportation said Friday.
The penalty will be cut to $100,000 if United spends $1 million on improvements, such as hiring supervisors to oversee wheelchair services at its busiest airports, the department said. United is the 11th carrier fined by the department this year over such violations. The civil penalties total almost $5.8 million.
“We adamantly deny that we violated any federal law with respect to serving our customers with disabilities,” said Jean Medina, a spokeswoman for Elk Grove Township-based United.
