Delta is bringing a new, more accessible flight map to most of its 165,000 seatback screens— the most in the industry — making the beloved moving map experience more accessible than ever. The new flight map prioritizes accessibilty while maintaining the key features that customers love, know and expect.
The high contrast display and features were designed with travellers who have low-vision disabilities specifically in mind. The enhanced product allows even more customers to enjoy the flight map independently and effortlessly.
“No one better connects the world than Delta,”
says Ekrem Dimbiloglu, Managing Director of Customer Experience – In – Flight Entertainment, Delta Studio and Wi-Fi. “To fulfill that promise, it is essential that we ensure that every customer has the opportunity to connect with their journey and feel valued and cared about. We are proud of being the first airline in the world to launch this technology. It sets the standard for inclusive experiences across the industry.
For countless travelers, Delta’s flight map is a beloved part of the in-flight entertainment experience — it’s an opportunity to immerse themselves in their journey while embracing mindfulness through the calming details of the moving map. Delta’s new map shows the airline’s understanding that this experience should be accessible.
Delivering a top-notch experience to all travellers
Delta’s commitment towards accessibility is rooted within its belief that travel should be accessible to everyone. Delta is already a leader in the industry with 100% closed captioning of all movies, series and content.
Delta saw the opportunity to go further. While its flight map already met all Americans with Disabilities Act standards (ADA) and European Accessibility Act standards (EAA), Delta saw an additional opportunity to push forward. Alongside inflight map provider FlightPath3D, the airline collaborated closely with its Advisory Board on Disability, presenting an early version of the map for hands-on testing and feedback that was instrumental in refining the final design and functionality that customers will experience today.
This collaborative approach highlights the importance of listening to, learning from and innovating on the experiences of those who are most affected by inclusive design.
Thomas Panek is the Chair of Delta’s Advisory Board on Disability, and President of Guiding Eyes for the Blind. He says: “As a visually impaired individual, it’s exciting that Delta has made the flight map more easily accessible for low vision users.”
Delta makes the travel experience better for everyone by making flight map more accessible to low vision users.
Inclusion as a core design feature
The new flight map will be available to customers soon on more that 650 aircraft in the airline’s global fleet.
Features include:
- High-Contrast Visuals: Bright colors against dark background or grayscale rendering ensures maximum visibility and reduced eye strain.
- Color Blind Palette: Use of patterns and textures in addition to colors to distinguish different areas and elements on the map.
- Large Text & Icons: All text and iconography is rendered at larger sizes, eliminating the need to squint or strain to make out details.
- Streamlined Information: Clearly labeled map features like countries, borders and major cities are prioritized to reduce clutter and enhance readability.
- Zoom & Pan Controls: Users can zoom in/out and pan around the map view to adjust to their preferred perspective and visual needs.
- Voice Narration (coming in future versions of the accessible map experience): Planned voice narration will leverage AI and flight data to provide audio updates on arrival times, points of interest and more.
Delta is proud to have made progress on the road to a more accessible experience.
