Building a More Accessible Customer Experience
Delta is committed to creating a positive and inclusive experience for all. From the moment a customer begins researching a flight until they have arrived safely at their destination, our people strive to deliver the Delta Difference – reflecting our commitment to safety and an accessible travel experience.
More than just compliance, accessible air travel is a collaborative process where we work to create a thoughtful and elevated customer journey. To do this, Delta listens to and connects with the disability community, as well as with interests throughout the industry. We work closely with our Advisory Board on Disability and Accessible Travel, comprised of Delta frequent fliers who are thought leaders on a wide range of disabilities and who lend their insights to help Delta improve the travel experience for all customers.
Advisory Board members volunteer their time to advise Delta on everything from frontline training and in-flight messaging to accessible seat and lavatory design. For over 25 years, the Advisory Board has provided the guidance and feedback to support its goal of making Delta the carrier of choice for people with disabilities.
Throughout the year, members of our Advisory Board on Disability and Accessible Travel served as presenters and panelists at industry events, as well as at Delta’s Winter LEAD Conference and Safety & Environmental Summit for our people. At the RedCabin Aircraft Cabin Innovation Summit, for example, Advisory Board member Carden Wyckoff shared her insights on accessibility innovation and inclusive cabin design. By sharing their experiences, Advisory Board members aim to increase understanding of accessibility opportunities and reduce barriers to travel.
Delta’s approach to accessibility is built on thoughtful, inclusive simplicity - because travel should feel possible for everyone.”
On the Ground
Since 2022, Delta has been the industry leader among its competitive set in the proper handling of mobility aids, as tracked by the U.S. Department of Transportation.1
Delta and Delta Connection carried approximately 177,000 wheelchairs, scooters and other mobility devices across our global network in 2025. As a priority in caring for these essential devices, we continually communicate with customers about their handling. In 2025, in support of new regulatory requirements, we enhanced the Fly Delta App to enable customers to track loading and unloading of their assistive devices.
Delta’s White Glove Services team is dedicated to elevated service for customers who travel with assistive devices, and our below-wing team members receive specialized training to support customers, handling and transporting their devices with care. Delta's commitment extends to our vendors, including our largest provider of wheelchair services, which utilizes aircraft cabin seats donated by Delta to facilitate hands-on training for passenger assistance. Throughout 2025, Delta and our Advisory Board collaborated with this vendor to enhance processes and the customer travel experience.
On the Plane
The Advisory Board on Disability and Accessible Travel provides expertise for employee training specific to customers with disabilities, including recommendations on how our flight attendants directly engage with and support them. In 2025, we partnered with the Advisory Board to launch training videos for our flight crews that highlight best practices when providing individualized safety briefings for customers with disabilities.
In addition, two members of our Advisory Board participated in a panel discussion on traveling with a disability at Delta’s annual Learning Summit for our airport customer service and in-flight services employees. Their participation provided frontline employees the opportunity to interact with and seek input directly from them.
Beyond
Members of the Advisory Board on Disability and Accessible Travel also helped increase understanding of what it’s like to travel with a disability. Advisory Board member Thomas Panek shared his experience as a traveler who is blind visiting a Delta One Lounge in a Delta News Hub audio story opens in a new window that revealed how inclusive design and deep listening create beauty beyond sight.
We also enhanced the Delta website with a new Cognitive Disability webpage. Led by two Advisory Board members who are renowned global autism experts, the streamlined content provides clear resources and quick reference for travelers.