New Airplane Seat Concept Allows Wheelchair Users to Stay in Their Chairs Throughout Flights
Hamburg, Germany (CNN) — A groundbreaking airplane seat design, allowing wheelchair users to remain in their own chairs during flights, was unveiled this week by Delta Flight Products (DFP), a subsidiary of the US airline Delta. This innovation has been celebrated as a “huge step” by potential customers, who see it as a major advancement in accessible air travel.
The concept was showcased at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg, Germany, an event dedicated to spotlighting innovations in airplane cabin design. Cory Lee, a power wheelchair user and avid traveler, expressed his excitement at the development, saying he was “unbelievably excited” after witnessing a working prototype of the seat.
At AIX, the DFP team spent several days demonstrating the seat to aviation industry insiders. “The reaction has been genuine enthusiasm,” said Wood, reflecting the positive reception. Notably, the seat maintains a consistent aesthetic, whether in traditional seat mode or converted for wheelchair use. “We wanted to make it stylish,” added Wood, emphasizing the sleek design.
DFP’s design allows the built-in seat to fold up, transforming easily into a docking station for wheelchairs without requiring structural modifications to the aircraft. This setup can be installed into pre-existing aircraft seat track systems, making it accessible for airlines to integrate. When in wheelchair mode, the seat enables use of the tray table by raising the center console to the appropriate height.
The conversion process, as demonstrated by DFP engineers, is both swift and smooth, taking around 90 seconds to complete. Rick Salanitri, president of DFP, emphasized that the team aims for a seamless passenger experience. Currently, they are working through the testing, development, and certification phases to bring the seat to market, with an estimated timeline of 18 months.
DFP has also begun informal discussions with both the US Federal Aviation Administration and the UK Civil Aviation Authority. Although DFP is a Delta subsidiary, Salanitri noted that it’s still unclear if Delta will be the first airline to implement the design. Ultimately, the team envisions the seat becoming standard across airlines, with hopes that installation will be straightforward.
“Here’s the perfect world,” said Salanitri. “I pick up the front row of all domestic airplane seats and drop these in, with minimal changes. Some integration of IFE [in-flight entertainment] and regulatory certification would be needed, but it’s a low-time, low-cost modification in an ideal setup.”
Salanitri estimates that the wheelchair-compatible seat will be priced similarly to a standard domestic first-class ticket, aiming to balance accessibility and cost for travelers.