United Airlines is adding braille to select aircraft interiors, which the company says is an industry first for a U.S. airliner. Individual rows and seat numbers, as well as lavatories, are now equipped with tactile signage, according to the airline. United expects its entire mainline fleet will feature Braille by the end of 2026.
According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), about 27 million people with disabilities traveled by air in 2019. DOT also says it received 1,394 disability-related complaints in 2021, a 54% increase from 2019.
Airline passengers with disabilities have the “right to receive information in an accessible format,” under the Air Carrier Access Act. According to the Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights, passengers who identify as needing visual or hearing assistance must receive prompt access to the same trip information as other passengers at the gate, ticket area, customer service desk and on the aircraft (so long as it does not interfere with safety duties).
"Finding your seat on a plane or getting to the restroom is something most of us take for granted, but for millions of our customers, it can be a challenge to do independently," notes Linda Jojo, executive vice president, chief customer officer for United. "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 airline is also working with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the American Council of the Blind (ACB) and other disability advocacy groups to explore the use of other tactile navigational aids throughout the cabin.
"We applaud United for taking an important step toward making its aircraft more accessible to blind passengers," says NFB President Mark Riccobono. "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 says the braille signage is an additional step in creating an accessible passenger experience. "We appreciate the airline's continued exploration of additional in-flight navigational aids like large print and tactile indicators, and we encourage all airlines to follow United's lead in making air travel more inclusive for the blind and low vision community.” says Spoone.
The writing system is named after Louis Braille, a Frenchman who lost his sight following a childhood accident in the early 1800s. He developed the code based on the French alphabet and Charles Barbier’s “night writing” code for soldiers, using a combination of six raised dots arranged in a 3x2 matrix. English braille uses three levels of braille. World Braille Day is observed internationally every January 4th, and has been recognized by the United Nations since 2019. In the U.S., the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 requires various building signage to include braille.
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