Delta Airlines Introduce Seat Prototype for Wheelchair Users

Last month at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany, Delta unveiled a new seat prototype aimed at helping wheelchair users and others with reduced mobility on flights. 

The seat has a traditional mode that serves as a typical airplane seat and a conversion mode that allows wheelchair users to stay in their chair throughout a flight. Switching between the two takes around 90 seconds as the built-in seat folds up, allowing a wheelchair to dock in place.

Passengers have access to many of the same seat amenities in either mode, along with the same aesthetic design of the seat itself. The headrest, center console tray table and cocktail table are still available once the traditional seat is folded up.

This is exciting news for wheelchair users who have long been frustrated by the airlines lack of accommodation on flights, thought it will take some time for planes to be fitted with this new seat configuration. Well done Delta! We’re looking forward to other airlines following suit.

For a quick look at how this works check out the Independent UK’s short YouTube video below. New Mobility also posted this Instagram video of a wheelchair user testing it out.