Northwest Settles Disabled Bias Case

Northwest Airlines agreed to pay as much as $700,000 to settle charges that the airline discriminated against disabled passengers, the Department of Transportation said.

The airline also agreed to “cease and desist” from future violations of department rules that ban discrimination against disabled passengers, the department said. Northwest could offset part of the fine by adopting “measures to improve the carrier’s services to the disabled,” the department said.

“We’re pleased that we resolved the complaint in this manner,” said Northwest spokeswoman Kathy Peach.

When it brought the case in September, the department said it was seeking the largest civil penalty ever against a carrier, more than $3 million.

The department contended that on hundreds of occasions, the carrier allegedly took a long time getting wheelchairs, left disabled passengers on aircraft for extended periods of time and left disabled passengers at the wrong gates.

Shares of Eagan, Minn.-based Northwest were down 16 cents to $19.53 on Nasdaq.