Northwest Airlines Deeply Disappointed By US Department Of Transportation Enforcement Action

Northwest’s Proposals for Cooperative Solutions Rejected by DOT
Northwest to Challenge the Action During an Administrative Hearing

Northwest Airlines today released the following statement in response to a $3 million enforcement action announced by the Department of Transportation (DOT) citing Northwest Airlines for discriminating

Northwest Airlines is deeply disappointed the DOT has elected to proceed with this enforcement action after rejecting Northwest’s proposals to work together to achieve workable solutions for the logistical problems faced by the industry in meeting the needs of customers with disabilities. Northwest has over the past several months made several proposals to the DOT including:

Developing a joint committee, with members from the enforcement sector (DOT/FAA), the industry and disability groups to address the logistical problems faced by the airline industry in providing

Developing a “Best Practices” standard for the airline industry that would give more substance to the regulations, which are currently ambiguous and fail to state any concrete level of service requirements.


Northwest Airlines sets its service standards for customers with disabilities above industry requirements and was the first airline to create a Customers Advisory Board for issues related to services for customers with disabilities. The ten-member Board was created specifically to help Northwest improve its services to people with disabilities by reviewing Northwest’s policies, procedures and training. Board members represent different local and national disability and advocacy organizations.

Northwest is the recipient of numerous awards related to its policies and practices toward people with disabilities including: the National Association for the Deaf (NAD) for it's inclusion of people with disabilities on Northwest’s Customers with Disabilities Advisory Board; the National Business and Disability Council for Outstanding Advertising Campaign of the Year 1999, and the Courage Center and the Minnesota Business Partnership “Partners Award” for Northwest’s Accommodation Policy. The carrier also received high rankings for employing people with disabilities from WE and Careers and The Disabled magazines.

With annual revenues in excess of $11 billion and more than 53,000 employees worldwide, Northwest Airlines is the world’s fourth largest airline, with hubs at Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, Tokyo and Amsterdam and more than 2,700 daily departures. With its travel partners, Northwest serves more than 785 cities in 120 countries on six continents. Based on statistics compiled by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Northwest was the most on-time U.S. airline among the seven largest network carriers for the period 1990-2000.