American Airlines has agreed to pay $200,000 to a former reservations agent who became permanently blind and alleged that the airline failed to provide the software she needed to continue working.
The employee, who worked at an American Airlines call center in Fort Worth, Texas, lost her sight following an accident more than a decade ago. After recovering, she sought to return to her position and requested screen-reader software, which converts text on a computer screen into speech. A Texas charity reportedly offered to provide the software to the airline at no cost.
According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), American did not provide the requested technology or place her in another suitable position. She remained on unpaid leave for nearly four years before being terminated in October 2020.
The EEOC filed a lawsuit on her behalf in October 2025, and the case was settled last week. Under the agreement, American will also introduce accessibility standards into a new reservations system planned for 2027, have an independent auditor test the system for at least 120 hours, and provide training to employees handling disability accommodation requests.
American said it remains committed to providing equal opportunities and reasonable accommodations to qualified employees with disabilities.
