A flight attendant has been injured after an emergency escape slide was accidentally set off inside a plane. The incident occurred on a Delta Air Lines flight from New York to Los Angeles. It had already been a frustrating journey for the 168 passengers after the Boeing 767 had to divert to Salt Lake City to fix an unrelated technical hitch. The flyers were taken off the plane and had only just returned when the slide “exploded” and hit a crew member on his head, according to one person onboard. One of the passengers claimed the catering crew had unintentionally set the water-landing equipment off, reports Travel Pulse. The crew member was taken to hospital but was released soon afterwards. A Delta spokesperson said in a statement to the New York Post: “Delta flight 520, operating from New York-JFK to Los Angeles diverted to Salt Lake City due to a maintenance issue. While on the ground, the same aircraft’s slide was deployed by accident. In an effort to get our customers to their final destination as quickly and safely as possible, they have been re-accommodated on a new aircraft. We apologise for the delay to their travelling plans. Nothing is more important than the safety of our customers and people.” Passengers boarded another plane and were offered 7500 miles by the airline for the inconvenience of the delay.<br/>
sky
A new airplane seat concept that allows wheelchair users to stay in their own chair throughout a flight was revealed this week by a subsidiary of US airline Delta, a move welcomed as a "huge step" by potential customers. "Unbelievably excited," is how power wheelchair user and avid traveller Cory Lee described his reaction after a working prototype of the design was demonstrated by Delta Flight Products (DFP) at the Aircraft Interiors Expo (AIX) in Hamburg, Germany, a symposium spotlighting airplane cabin innovations. DFP's concept seamlessly converts to and from a traditional airplane seat. The built-in seat folds up to allow a wheelchair to be docked into place. The seat would be installed into pre-existing aircraft seat track systems, so would not involve any structural change to the airplane. When the seat's in wheelchair mode, flyers are still able to use the tray table - the center console that houses the tray table rises to the appropriate height when the seat conversion takes place. Rick Salanitri, DFP president, told CNN Travel at AIX that the goal is to make the conversion seamless. Though still only a prototype, the design is already generating significant buzz among wheelchair users who could be among potential customers. It's hoped that the concept could enter commercial use within 18 months if it passes testing and is adopted by airlines. "For decades, people with disabilities have been fighting for more accessible air travel, and this feels like a huge step (or a giant roll) toward real inclusivity," Lee said.<br/>