Mobility device lost or damaged by an airline? USA TODAY wants to hear your story

According to the Department of Transportation, airlines "mishandle" on average about 1.5% of the mobility devices they transport.

In 2022, airlines carried 741,582 wheelchairs and scooters, and there were 11,389 incidents reported to the DOT. That's an increase from 2021, when carriers transported 553,969 mobility devices and 7,239 incidents were reported.

This year, USA TODAY wants to highlight what those figures mean for travelers with disabilities. We're looking to track these incidents throughout 2023 with the goal of bringing light to an all-too-common issue. 

If your own mobility device was damaged or lost by an airline this year, please share your story with us using the form below: 

Real experiences highlighted

Read Amanda Parkman's experience with Southwest Airlines on her flight to New Orleans

Read Shayn Pulley's experience with American Airlines on their flight to Philadelphia

Read Clifford Gowing's experience with American Airlines on his flight to Miami

Read Heather Bennett's experience with Delta Air Lines on her flight to Boston

Read Emily Voorde's experience with United Air Lines on her flight to South Bend

Read Colleen Flanagan's experience with JetBlue on her flight to Washington, D.C.

Read Andrew Bogdanov's experience with Frontier Airlines on his flight to Atlanta

Read Rob Birk's experience with Allegiant Air on his flight to Cincinnati

Read Emily Ladau's experience with American Airlines on her flight to New York

Read Michael Triola's experience with United Airlines on his flight to Denver

Read Ted Breslin's experience with Southwest Airlines on his flight to Reno

Read Raina Jones' experience with United Airlines on her flight to Newport News

Read Caitlyn Short's experience with American Airlines on her flight to Washington, D.C.

Read Karin Strickland's experience with American Airlines on her flight to Ft. Myers

Read Veronica Morris' experience with American Airlines on her flight to Philadelphia

Read Stephanie Groce's experience with American Airlines on her flight to San Diego via Philadelphia

Read Deanna Vaillancourt-Thompson's experience with American Airlines on her flight to Charlotte

Read Kim Harrison's experience with Southwest Airlines on her flight to Washington, D.C.

Read Maceo Carter's experience with American Airlines on his flight to Phoenix

Read Neena Nizar and her sons' experience with Southwest Airlines on their flights to Washington, D.C.

Read Sue Volek's experience with Alaska Airlines on her flight to Anchorage

Read Sam Bukovac's experience with United Airlines on his flight to Savannah

Read Elizabeth Forst's experience with Southwest Airlines on her flight to Charleston, South Carolina

Read Jon Pielaet's experience with Delta Air Lines on his flight to Missoula, Montana via Salt Lake City

Read Sean Baumstark's experience with Southwest Airlines on his flight to Las Vegas

Read Teresa Nguyen's experience with United Airlines on her flight to Denver

Read Neena Nizar's experience with United Airlines on her flight to Omaha

Read Bethany Piehl's experience with Southwest Airlines on her flight to San Antonio

Zach Wichter is a travel reporter for USA TODAY based in New York. You can reach him at zwichter@usatoday.com