United Airlines announced its intention to install Braille placards distinguishing bathroom facilities and seat numbers across its mainline flt by 2026.
Adding Braille follows the airline's United Next plan, which includes an overhaul of its entire fleet, according to a report.
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Braille will also make the airline more welcoming and inclusive, according to United's Chief Customer Officer Linda Jojo.
"It's out on 12 planes right now, and it’s pretty simple right now," she said. "The Braille is right above the seat; we also have it outside and inside of the lavs."
"We did this from feedback from our own customers, feedback from third parties we've worked with."
The rollout's timeline is extensive because United wants it to be deliberate, Jojo said.
"Every time we make a change, this has to go through an FAA approval because it’s an aircraft part," she said.
"We’re going to stick with what we have, see how it works, see what our customers say, see what our employees say, and make sure we get it right before we decide to speed it up or not."
Given the few aircraft currently equipped with Braille, customers will not know when they book their flights if they will be on a plane with the signage, the report noted.
Once a "critical mass" is reached, the Braille feature may be noted in online material.
United's move is supported by advocates for the blind.
"We applaud United for taking an important step toward making its aircraft more accessible to blind passengers," Mark Riccobono, president of the National Federation of the Blind, said.
"The flight experience is often frustrating for a number of reasons, one of which is the amount of information that is available exclusively through printed signs and other visual indicators. We hope to continue working with United to explore additional ways to make flying more accessible and less stressful for blind passengers."
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Jojo echoed Riccobono's sentiment.
"This is an important way to empower our vision-impaired customers to do a little more on their own without asking for help," she said. "This is just one way that we're making United a more inclusive airline for people of all abilities."