Delta Is Making It Easier for Wheelchair Users to Travel With New Seat Design — What to Know
The design would allow travelers who use a powered wheelchair to remain in their own wheelchairs during flights.
Courtesy of Delta Air Lines
Delta Air Lines unveiled a new seat prototype this week to accommodate wheelchair users on board.
The new seat, which was detailed at the annual Aircraft Interiors Expo in Germany, would allow travelers who use a powered wheelchair to remain in their own wheelchairs during flights, according to Delta. Travelers who use the seat would still have access to a headrest, tray table, and cocktail table.
The seat was developed along with the UK-based group Air4All.
“DFP [Delta Flight Products] delivers highly engineered products and services to fill service gaps, solve operational challenges and transform the experience of customers and crewmembers,” Rick Salanitri, the president of Delta Flight Products, said in a statement. “Air4All is collaborating with DFP and our strong production and manufacturing capabilities to explore new ways to deliver equal access to comfort, safety, and dignity for all customers. This patented design offers new possibilities for customers with disabilities to enjoy a travel experience they truly deserve.”
The next step for the innovative seat design is to get certified and then go through testing.
Currently, Delta offers designated aisle wheelchairs to help travelers in a wheelchair get to and from their seats, according to the airline. These customers are assisted by wheelchair attendants. Most planes are also equipped with an onboard wheelchair “specially designed to fit within the aisle of the aircraft and for use to and from the lavatory,” but it may not fit inside the bathrooms.
All airlines in the United States are required to provide passengers with disabilities assistance, including wheelchair assistance to board, deplane, or connect to another flight, according to the Department of Transportation. But currently, airlines are only required to transport manual wheelchairs in the cabin.
Several popular destinations have made it easier for wheelchairs users to visit in recent years, including beaches from the U.S. to Greece, and national parks across the country.
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