United Airlines announced Thursday it is adding Braille to its entire fleet “by the end of 2026.”
United said it already has “equipped about a dozen” of its aircraft with Braille markings “for individual rows and seat numbers as well as inside and outside the lavatories.” United is the first U.S. airline to add Braille to its planes.
“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,” said Linda Jojo, executive vice president and chief customer officer for United, in a statement. “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 said it is also working with the National Federation of the Blind, the American Council of the Blind and “other disability advocacy groups” to “explore the use of other tactile navigational aids throughout the cabin such as raised letters, numbers and arrows.” The announcement comes a few days after the Department of Transportation issued a new rule attempting to make bathrooms on single-aisle airplanes more accessible to passengers who have disabilities.