Disability Traveler Info

The Charlotte County Airport Authority participates in the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower Program. Passengers can request a Sunflower Lanyard by contacting CThames@FlyPGD.com or calling 941-205-3276 at least 7 days prior to your arrival at PGD. A lanyard may be mailed to you or made available for pickup. Our staff, TSA, and airline partners are being oriented to the program so they can help recognize adults and children with hidden disabilities.

If you are a guest needing assistance, plan ahead to avoid any delay or inconvenience during your visit.

Contact your airline in advance to request assistance with access to the Main Terminal as well as boarding a plane, wheelchairs, specific seat assignments, medication storage or dietary needs. Confirm the request prior to your departure day.

For Allegiant passengers arriving at the airport with special needs, please check in at the ticket counter or ask an Allegiant representative for assistance. Refer to these FAQs for detailed answers.

No animals are allowed inside the terminal except service animals or pets traveling by air. Reference the Airport Animal Policy for additional information on service animals.

Relief areas for pets/service animals around the Main Terminal are located in the grassy areas across the vehicle drives of the terminal, at the corners of short-term parking. Reference this map for additional details.

For passengers traveling with portable oxygen, please refer to your airline’s specific guidelines. Reference Allegiant’s Passengers with Special Needs page and Sun Country’s Special Services: Portable Oxygen Concentrator page for detailed information on the rules for traveling with respiratory devices.

For general safety tips and resources on traveling with portable oxygen, reference the National Council on Aging’s article Traveling Safely with Portable Oxygen: Everything You Need to Know and the FAA’s page on PackSafe – Portable Oxygen Concentrators (POCs).

Punta Gorda Airport has been expanding our services with all of our customers in mind. We have increased our handicap parking spaces available in both short-term and long-term parking areas, as well as an airport shuttle van equipped with an ADA compliant wheelchair lift to assist passengers getting to and from the parking areas during very busy times. Call 941-815-1668 for free, on-airport parking lot shuttle assistance.

Under FSS 316.1964 (7), parking is free to those who meet any or all of the following requirements:

• 100% disabled U.S. military veterans displaying a license plate for disabled veterans;
• an individual operating a vehicle with specialized equipment (ie ramps, lifts, foot or hands controls) for use by a person who has a disability;
• or displaying the Florida Toll Exemption permit

If you meet any of these requirements, please call 941-815-1018 or press the help button on the exit machine for ticket validation. Your ticket must be validated prior to exiting the parking lot.

All public restrooms at the airport are wheelchair-accessible. Look for the internationally-recognized wheelchair-accessible symbol.

Travelers with special needs have numerous ground transportation options at the airport.

• Parking Shuttle Bus: Call 941-815-1668 for free transportation to/from overflow or remote parking. Please specify if you need a shuttle bus with wheelchair accessibility.
• Car Rentals: With advance notice, most car rental companies provide rental cars equipped with hand controls. Contact your rental car company for further details.
• Gulf Coast Car Service: Please call Gulf Coast Car Service at 941-391-8800 to reserve transportation to and from PGD in an ADA lift-equipped vehicle.
• Charlotte County Transit: All Charlotte County Transit vehicles are fully accessible. Their ramps make it easy to board in a wheelchair, scooter, with a walker or stroller. Call 941-575-4000, email Transit@charlottecountyfl.gov, or use the Charlotte County App to make a reservation.

TSA Cares is a toll-free helpline for passengers with disabilities and medical conditions that provides assistance in preparing for the airport security process. Call 1-855-787-2227 at least 72 hours ahead for assistance.

The Charlotte County Airport Authority, in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), does not discriminate on the basis of disability in administration of its aviation-related programs and activities.

The Charlotte County Airport Authority is committed to providing equal opportunities for the disabled traveling public, applicants, participants, employees and other interested persons. The traveling public and other persons as listed above who believe they have been subjected to discrimination on the basis of disability, or have been denied access to services or accommodations required by law, should contact the CCAA ADA Coordinator at 941-205-3276 or Cthames@flypgd.com.

It is unlawful for airport operators and their lessees, tenants, concessionaires, and contractors to discriminate against any person because of race, color, national origin, sex, creed or disability.

Please view the CCAA’s ADA Policy Notice. To file a complaint, please complete an ADA Complaint form and view the ADA Complaint Procedure.

Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination on the grounds of race, color or national origin under any program or activity receiving Federal Financial Assistance. Title 49 of the U.S.C. section 47123, “Nondiscrimination” further prohibits recipients of FAA financial assistance from engaging in discrimination based on sex and religion. Additionally, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975 prohibits discrimination against FAA program beneficiaries on the grounds of age. Section 520 of the Airport and Airway Improvement Act of 1982 added sex and creed to the list of prohibited bases of discrimination with regard to nondiscrimination in the FAA’s grant program.

PGD Title VI Complaint Procedure

49 CFR Part 21 (Non Discrimination in Federally Assisted Programs of DOT)

If you believe you have been subjected to discrimination, you may file a signed, written complaint with the Airport’s Title VI Coordinator within 180 days of the date of the alleged discrimination. To file a complaint, please complete a Title VI Complaint Form and view the Title VI Complaint Procedure. Include how, why, and when you believe you were discriminated against and include as much detail as possible.

A copy of complaints alleging a Title VI violation will be forwarded to the FAA.  Alternatively, the written complaint may be filed directly with the FAA, Office of Civil Rights, 800 Independence Ave. SW, Washington, D.C., 20591. Filing a Complaint | Federal Aviation Administration (faa.gov)

For additional information regarding Title VI, contact the Title VI coordinator at 941-205-3276 or at Cthames@flypgd.com.