United Becomes the First U.S. Airline to Introduce Helpful Signage on Its Aircraft

United Airlines has announced the addition of Braille to its aircraft, making it the first U.S. airline to implement this accessible signage.

To date, the airline has retrofitted around a dozen of its fleet of over 900 planes with Braille, indicating individual rows and seat letters on overhead bins, as well as inside and outside the restrooms. The goal is to outfit the entire fleet with Braille by 2027.

Linda Jojo, United's executive vice president and chief customer officer, stated, “Locating your seat or accessing the restroom is something many of us take for granted, but for millions of our customers, it can pose a significant challenge. By enhancing our interiors with more tactile signage, we’re fostering a more inclusive and accessible flying experience, which benefits everyone.”

For the new signage, United collaborated with the National Federation of the Blind, the American Council of the Blind, and other advocacy organizations to identify optimal locations for Braille to assist visually impaired passengers.

Mark Riccobono, president of the National Federation of the Blind, stated, “The flying experience can be quite challenging for blind individuals due to various factors, including the reliance on printed signs and visual cues.” The organization aims to collaborate further with United to find more ways to make air travel “more accessible and less stressful for blind passengers.”

The Department of Transportation reported that approximately 27 million individuals with disabilities traveled by air in 2019. In the past year, airlines have increasingly initiated programs aimed at creating a more equitable flying experience. For instance, in June 2023, Delta Flight Products introduced a seat design allowing travelers who use wheelchairs to board and remain seated in their wheelchairs throughout the flight. In 2022, Turkish Airlines launched a program providing passengers with lanyards adorned with sunflowers to help crew members identify those with hidden disabilities, signaling that they may require extra assistance during their journey.

In contrast to the new federal requirement mandating accessible bathrooms on narrow-body planes (which necessitated an amendment to the Air Carrier Access Act of 1986), there are currently no laws obligating airlines to incorporate Braille in new or existing aircraft for visually impaired customers. It remains to be seen if other airlines will adopt United’s initiative. Chris Danielsen, a spokesperson for the National Federation of the Blind, expressed uncertainty over why Braille hasn’t been more widely implemented, suggesting that “airlines have primarily focused on meeting regulatory compliance rather than engaging with customers with disabilities to enhance the flying experience for all.”

Danielsen noted a growing openness among airlines to collaborate with advocacy groups for visually impaired individuals, although he emphasized that substantial challenges remain. He highlighted the ongoing issues faced by blind travelers who use guide dogs as a significant area of concern.

“Many airlines have established paperwork and documentation protocols for blind individuals accompanied by guide dogs,” Danielsen explained, noting that in some instances, blind travelers have been denied boarding despite fulfilling all required forms.