United Airlines has announced itself as the first US airline to add braille to aircraft cabin interiors.
Around a dozen aircraft have had the markings applied to seat and row numbers, as well as inside and outside the toilets, with plans to cover the entire mainline fleet by 2026.
The aim is to help millions of travellers with visual disabilities more easily navigate the cabin independently.
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Linda Jojo, United’s executive vice president and chief customer officer, said: “By adding more tactile signage throughout our interiors, we’re making the flying experience more inclusive and accessible, and that’s good for everyone.”
The US Department of Transportation has said that around 27 million people with disabilities travelled by air in 2019.
United’s actions have been praised by the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) and the American Council of the Blind (ACB), with both groups now helping the airline to make further progress.
United said it is exploring other tactile navigational aids in its cabins, citing “raised letters, numbers and arrows”.
Following the braille decision, NFB president Mark Riccobono said: “We applaud United for taking an important step toward making its aircraft more accessible to blind passengers.
“The flight experience is often frustrating for a number of reasons, one of which is the amount of information that is available exclusively through printed signs and other visual indicators.
“We hope to continue working with United to explore additional ways to make flying more accessible and less stressful for blind passengers.”
ACB interim executive director Dan Spoone said he would encourage other airlines to follow in United’s footsteps in making travel “more inclusive for the blind and low vision community”.
United pointed to a range of previous steps it has taken to make travel more accessible. For example, the mobile app was recently redesigned to make it easier to use for people with visual disabilities.
Photo: United Airlines