United First US Airline To Add Braille Signage To Cabin Interiors

United Airlines is the first US airline to display Braille characters in aircraft cabin interiors. By doing so, those who are visually impaired will be better able to independently identify row numbers and seat assignments, as well as bathroom locations.

United Airlines to add Braille to aircraft cabin interiors

When you hear this news it makes you wonder why no one did this before. Occasionally, you might notice Braille in elevators to help the visually impaired find the correct floor, so why hasn’t this been done in aircraft before?

It was on July 27 that United officially became the first US airline to add Braille to its aircraft interiors. Doing so will help millions of travelers with visual disabilities to be able to navigate the cabin independently, without having to ask for help.

According to the Department of Transportation, around 27 million people with disabilities traveled by air in 2019. Meanwhile, United has already equipped around a dozen aircraft with Braille markings for row numbers and seat numbers, as well as inside and outside the planes’ bathrooms. Meanwhile, the airline plans to outfit the entire United fleet by 2026.

According to a press release, Linda Jojo, Executive Vice President and Chief Customer Office for United said in a statement:

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.

By adding more tactile signage throughout our interiors, we’re making the flying experience more inclusive and accessible, and that’s good for everyone.

Working on other navigational aids

Adding Braille signage to the aircraft’s interior is only the start. United is currently working with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB), the American Council of the Blind (ACB) and other disability advocacy groups. Together they will explore the possible use of other tactile navigational aids throughout the aircraft cabin, including raised arrows, letters and numbers.

United is the first U.S. airline to add #braille to its plane interiors – and they expect all their aircraft to be updated by the end of 2026. ✈️ #a11y #BlindNewWorld https://t.co/lWncwmsc1B

— BlindNewWorld (@BlindNewWorld) August 1, 2023

NFB President Mark Riccobono said: “We applaud United for taking an important step toward making its aircraft more accessible to blind passengers,” adding:

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 also made a statement about United’s plans to add Braille signage to aircraft cabins:

United is taking additional steps to create an accessible airline passenger experience through Braille signage. 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.

Other United initiatives

Adding Braille signage to aircraft interiors is just the latest initiative by United to create accessible solutions for its customers. Recently, the United mobile app was redesigned to enhance usage by people with visual disabilities by adding color contrast. Other additions included reordering how information is displayed, offering more space between graphics and generally better integration with screen reader technologies like TalkBack and VoiceOver.

When it comes to in-flight seatback entertainment screens, United offers a range of accessible features. These include text-to-speech controls, closed captioning, explore-by-touch capabilities, magnification and audio-described movies. Meanwhile, other initiatives offer adjustable and high-contrast text and color correction.

Meanwhile, the airline’s long-standing partnership with Special Olympics offers employment opportunities to athletes via the Special Olympics Service Ambassador program. The airline further supports Special Olympics through volunteerism, travel support and fundraising to attend national and international competitions.