The airline is adding braille markings for rows, seat numbers and toilets to the interiors of all of its retrofitted planes, with plans to update its entire fleet by 2026, including all new jets. It also plans to add other tactile navigational aids for travellers with sight loss who don’t read braille, including raised arrows, letters and numbers. The signage has been created in collaboration with disability advocacy groups, including the National Federation of the Blind and the American Council of the Blind.
Another airline making its cabins more inclusive is UK-based carrier Virgin Atlantic. After discovering in a poll that 56% of its customers with sight loss have felt uncomfortable travelling by plane, and 65% would like to see airlines undergo training to better understand how to support them, it partnered with UK charity Guide Dogs for the Blind to provide better training on how to support these consumers. Topics include how to approach someone with sight loss, how to assist them in navigating narrow or busy spaces, and how to help them get to their seat.