Frontier Airlines CEO sounds alarm on airport wheelchair scam

Frontier Airlines CEO sounds alarm on airport wheelchair scam

• Barry Biffle wants non-disabled people abusing wheelchair services to be fined
• The CEO there is 'massive, rampant abuse' of special services
• READ MORE: Plus-size influencer says worker refused to push her in wheelchair

Frontier Airlines CEO has claimed that non-disabled airline passengers have been exploiting wheelchair services to skip ahead in airport security boarding lines.

CEO Barry Biffle says he once saw about 20 people being brought in wheelchairs during departure and only three using them upon arrival.

'There is massive, rampant abuse of special services. There are people using wheelchair assistance who don't need it at all. We are healing so many people,' he said at a luncheon.

The CEO said that the unlawful abuse can cost the airline anywhere between $30 and $35 each time a customer requests a wheelchair for airlines.

It also create unnecessary delays for other passengers who are following the rules and not cutting lines.

According to the 1986 Air Carrier Access Act, airlines have to provide wheelchairs for passengers who need them.

The Act was set in place to make sure disabled people are not discriminated against while traveling.

Under the US Department of Transportation's Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights, a disabled passenger is anyone 'with a physical or mental impairment that permanently or temporarily impacts a major life activity such as walking, hearing or breathing.'

Biffle argues that people who misuse the service need to be fined, similarly to how they would be if they parked in disabled parking spots.

'Everyone should be entitled to it who needs it, but you park in a handicapped space they will tow your car and fine you.

'There should be the same penalty for abusing these services,' he told CNBC.

Biffle's statements come on the same weekend millions of Americans plan to fly across the country.

The American Automobile Association (AAA) predicted that the Memorial Day weekend flier amount will be 3.51 million, which is nearly 5 percent higher than last year's number.

However, for the 10 most stressful U.S. airports ranked by StressFreeCarRental.com, this increase may not matter.

StressFreeCarRental.com created this year's list by analyzing the data from their most popular U.S. airport rankings to find the worst ones for travelers to pass through.

The website based its analysis on five factors: passenger numbers, distance from a commercial area, the number of flight destinations, car parking prices and the airport's overall satisfaction score.

Chicago O'Hare International (ORD) in Illinois is ranked the most stressful airport in America this year.

It is a large hub for American Airlines and United Airlines, which is headquartered in Chicago.

The airport has more than 40 airlines and gives its travelers the choice to book a non-stop flight to more than 200 destinations worldwide.

CNN ranked Chicago O'Hare International as one of the top 10 busiest airports in the world and racked in nearly 74 million passengers in 2023.

Around 47,300 travelers fly out of ORD every day, and since more than 800,000 fliers have book flights out of that airport from May 23 to May 28, the amount of passengers could be at least three times the usual daily total.