OACP HOLDS ACERS MEETING AHEAD OF JANUARY 2026 DISABILITY REPORTING DEADLINE
January 7, 2026
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On December 10, 2025, DOT’s Office of Aviation Consumer Protection held a virtual meeting to discuss issues with passengers self-selecting the nature of their complaint (e.g., disability, refunds, flight cancellations) within DOT’s new complaint reporting system (i.e., ACERS). To the extent possible, OACP requests that carriers submit recategorization requests for those complaints which were incorrectly identified by passengers as a disability or discrimination complaint. Starting January 1, 2026, DOT plans to implement a new complaint form on ACERS to dissuade passengers from selecting multiple complaint categories unrelated to written narratives because inaccurate categorizations can distort carrier-specific data presented in DOT’s Air Travel Consumer Report.
U.S. and foreign air carriers operating at least one aircraft with 60 or more passenger seats to, from, or within the United States were also reminded that they must submit a report to DOT summarizing the disability-related complaints received by the carrier during the prior calendar year. Even if carriers did not receive any written disability-related complaints in the preceding calendar year, they are still required to file a “zero” report showing no such complaints. Failure to comply with DOT’s disability-related reporting requirements can result in enforcement action and considerable monetary penalties. Carriers can begin submitting reports on ACERS in early January with the final deadline to submit 2025 disability reports being Monday, January 26, 2026.
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