Wheelchair users 'unbelievably excited' about new Delta plane seat design

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/>