The appointment comes as All Wheels Up’s leadership and work continue to gain recognition for advancing accessible air travel
FRISCO , TX, UNITED STATES, June 11, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — All Wheels Up (AWU), a nonprofit organization advancing accessible air travel through research and federal policy leadership announced today that Founder and President Michele Erwin has been appointed by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy to serve on the Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) Advisory Committee.
This appointment follows All Wheels Up’s recent inclusion on the Forbes 2026 Accessibility 200 List, which recognizes leading innovators improving the lives of people with disabilities across mobility, communication, education, consumer products, and more.
In September 2019, the Department of Transportation (DOT) established the ACAA Advisory Committee to advise the Secretary of Transportation on issues affecting passengers with disabilities. The Committee is responsible for assessing existing and emerging access barriers, evaluating how effective DOT programs address those barriers, and identifying improvements that enhance the air travel experience of passengers with disabilities.
“I am honored to be appointed to this committee and grateful for the opportunity to serve,” said Erwin. “This work is about improving safety, dignity, and access in air travel for people with disabilities, and I look forward to contributing alongside the many dedicated leaders and advocates committed to that goal.”
Erwin’s appointment comes as All Wheels Up’s work is increasingly recognized across the field in the United States and internationally.
“Michele’s appointment to the ACAA Advisory Committee reaffirms the impact All Wheels Up’s years of research, early crash testing of wheelchairs and restraint systems, and sustained advocacy for the necessary legislative, regulatory, and training standards has had on advancing accessible air travel,” said Stephen Cullen, All Wheels Up Board Chair and retired US Air Force Colonel. “We appreciate that the Department of Transportation recognizes the value of her insight as we continue collaborating with federal leaders, airlines, and manufacturers to remove barriers and expand access to air travel for wheelchair users and for all travelers who deserve a safer, more accessible travel experience.”
For Erwin, the appointment reflects more than 15 years of work, from leading the first crash testing of wheelchairs and wheelchair restraint systems against FAA emergency landing crash test criteria to advocating for accessible air travel at a time when few others were focused on these issues, as well as the confidence the Department of Transportation has in her experience.
“I am honored to be called to this service,” said Erwin. “It means a great deal to see this work recognized, as we continue doing our part by driving the research, elevating the issues, and advancing the policy and legislative solutions needed to achieve truly accessible air travel.”
About All Wheels Up:
Established in 2011, All Wheels Up (AWU) is the first non-profit organization in the world to fund research and development for a “wheelchair spot” on commercial aircraft. The not-for-profit organization works with airline carriers, aircraft manufacturers, federal agencies, and lawmakers to make airplanes wheelchair accessible to the millions of people who depend on them for mobility and safe seating. AWU’s mission is to forge a future with safer and more dignified accessible air travel through research, advocacy, education, and community outreach. AWU recently announced it is offering comprehensive Complaints Resolution Official (CRO) Training and Services for the airline industry that will train airline employees to better serve passengers with disabilities. In addition, AWU is conducting its’ Global Forum on September 29 and 30 at the Hotel Polaris Colorado Springs, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. This event brings together key stakeholders across the aviation ecosystem to accelerate accessibility in air travel. For more information go to Home – All Wheels Up for inquires or to register for check out: https://www.allwheelsup.org/global-forum/
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