Deltas leases ticket and gate counter space form local airport authorities, and we work closely with those airports to ensure that our services are accessible to everyone.

Flight and Gate Information Accessibility

At most of our airport locations, monitors display flight information for all our passengers. Similarly, most gate areas have electronic displays that indicate specific flight information. Gate agents provide verbal flight information including boarding announcements and any flight irregularity data for all our passengers, including the visually impaired.

Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD)

TDDs are available at most airports and are appropriately marked; our customer service representatives will be happy to help you find them. Keep in mind that some airport facilities are not under our control, and that the availability of this equipment may vary from location to location.

Security Screening

Airport security screening is required for all passengers. However, a hand search can be performed for people with disabilities, and private screenings are available upon request.

Our personnel are available to assist passengers with disabilities in boarding, deplaning and connecting with their flights.

We provide connecting flight assistance for ambulatory individuals who may need help from one departure gate to another. However, we are not equipped to provide full monitoring while waiting at the gate. Should a passenger's condition require this level of attention, the passenger should make arrangements for a traveling companion. For more information, see Wheelchair Services below.

Most of our aircraft are subject to federal accessibility requirements for our passengers with disabilities. Depending on aircraft type and age, accessible features of our fleet include movable aisle armrests, wheelchair stowage locations, on-board wheelchairs and, on larger airplanes, wheelchair-accessible lavatories.

Movable Aisle Armrests

Depending on the aircraft, we provide movable aisle armrest seats so passengers who use aisle chairs to board the aircraft can more easily transfer into their seats. The number and locations of movable aisle armrest seats may vary by aircraft type.

If you should find that your seat doesn't have a movable armrest, a gate agent or in-flight personnel will be happy to determine if another seat with a movable armrest is available on that specific aircraft.

Priority Wheelchair Stowage Location

We provide a designated location onboard most aircraft for stowage of one personal wheelchair on a first come, first served basis. Passengers wishing to use this wheelchair stowage location must request this service and take advantage of pre-boarding. The chair or scooter must fit in a FAA-approved storage area and must be of the weight and size that will fit in the onboard location.

Onboard Wheelchair

All of our aircraft have an onboard wheelchair. These wheelchairs are specially designed to fit the aisle of our aircraft, and may be used by our passengers to move to and from the lavatory. While our flight attendants are trained in the operation of this wheelchair and will assist you with its use, they are not required to lift or carry you.

Accessible Lavatories

Many of our larger aircraft have a wheelchair accessible lavatory. This feature is dependent on the size and configuration of the airplane.

Do you have special in-flight needs? Our flight attendants are highly qualified to ensure your in-flight safety and comfort. They can assist you in using the onboard wheelchair and stowing or retrieving carry-on items, identifying food items on your meal tray and opening packages.

However, flight attendants are not permitted to assist with feeding or personal hygiene and lavatory functions. They cannot lift or carry you, and they cannot provide medical services such as giving injections. If your medical condition requires others to provide this type of care, you should travel with a ticketed companion who can see to these needs during the flight.

TTY are available at most airports and are appropriately marked; our customer service representatives will be happy to help you find them. Keep in mind that some airport facilities are not under our control, and that the availability of this equipment may vary from location to location.

TTY are also available in Delta's Reservations Department by calling 800-831-4488, 24 hours a day, 7 days per week. Our agents are also available to take voice relay calls.

We accommodate any request for seating that helps you manage your disability. It is our responsibility to provide you with any available seat, which you are qualified to use, in advance. Additional accommodation may be made for:      

• passengers who use an aisle chair to get on the aircraft — and can't readily transfer over a fixed aisle armrest — can be provided with a seat that has a moveable aisle armrest on some aircraft.
• passengers traveling with an attendant helping them during the flight will be provided side-by-side seating
• passengers traveling with a service animal will be accommodated with any available seat, but will be provided a bulkhead seat by request
• passengers with a fused or immobilize leg will be provided with any available seat for which they qualify, on the side of the aircraft that appropriately accommodates their disability, or a bulkhead seat, by request

We welcome service animals — including dogs and monkeys trained to assist passengers with mobility, visual, or hearing disabilities — within the aircraft cabin. A service animal must remain in the floor space where the passenger sits and may not get in the way of an aisle or any area that needs to remain clear for emergencies.

Some locations such as Hawaii, Great Britain and others, have quarantine laws for animals, or may not permit their entry; see Pet Travel Health Requirements for more information. Delta Reservations or your travel agent can help you learn the requirements for your destination.

Emotional Support Animals and Psychiatric Service Animals

Delta complies with the Air Carrier Access Act by allowing customers traveling with emotional support animals or psychiatric service animals to travel without change according to the conditions below.

Acceptance Guidelines      

• The animal may or may not be trained to perform observable functions, but must be trained to behave properly in public settings as service animals do.
• Emotional support animals may travel free of charge in the cabin, and the animal is exempt from cabin allotment.
• Delta requires documentation (not more than one year old) on letterhead from a licensed mental health professional to be presented to an agent upon check in that includes:
  • title, address and phone number of mental health professional
  • statement that the passenger has a mental health related disability recognized in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual - 4th Edition
  • statement that the passenger needs the emotional support or psychiatric service animal as an accommodation for air travel and/or for activity at the passenger's destination
  • statement that the person listed in the letter is under the care of the assessing physician or mental health professional
• A kennel is not required for emotional support animals if they are fully trained and meet the same requirements as a service animal.
• Passengers should ask to speak to the Complaint Resolution Office (CRO) if they encounter any issues while traveling with emotional support animals.

Note: Passengers intending to travel to the United Kingdom with emotional support animals need to arrange pre-approval clearance and pay a processing fee; please contact the appropriate reception center.

London Gatwick (LGW)
Animal Aircare Co. Ltd.
Gatwick Airport
Horley, Surrey, RH6 0SQ
(0)129 346 2180

London Heathrow (LHR)
City of London Animal Reception Centre
City of London
Guildhall, PO Box 270
London EC2P 2EJ
(0)208 745 7894

Manchester (MAN)
Pets on Jets
Building 300
World Freight Terminal
Manchester Airport M90 5BA
(0)161 489 8220

For optimal safety and health, always carry your medication with you in your carry-on luggage, rather than in checked luggage. Airplanes do not have refrigerators on board, so plan for methods to keep medications cool, if required.

If you use needles or syringes to take medication, you must have appropriate medical records with you to explain your medical condition and the need for the medical procedure to security or foreign authorities. Please alert the cabin crew if you have used any needles during flight so they may provide you with a disposal container. You may not hang intravenous devices from the aircraft overhead; they may interfere with the emergency oxygen mask system.

Delta no longer provides compressed medical oxygen. However, Delta does allow passengers to use approved Portable Oxygen Concentrators with advance notification. Personal oxygen systems containing liquid oxygen are not accepted on board any Delta or Delta Connection flights.

Your own FAA approved portable oxygen concentrator — or a rented, approved POC — is allowed in the aircraft cabin. To rent a POC, contact Delta's oxygen provider OxygenToGo® at 866-692-0040.

The OxygenToGo personnel will guide you through all steps necessary to rent equipment that may be used for your entire air and land trip, so you will not need any additional equipment. You may also rent equipment only for your onboard needs.

You cannot be seated in an exit row or bulkhead if you intend to you use a POC. Your POC does not count toward your carry-on baggage limit, but must meet the following conditions to be allowed on board:    

• The battery should be removed and packaged separately if not in use
• It should have a recessed battery terminal, and the packaged battery terminals should not contact any metal objects.

If you have your own equipment, you may use that equipment by completing the steps below:     

• Complete your travel plans and purchase your ticket.
• Verify that you or your FAA approved portable oxygen concentrator supplier will have the FAA required 150% of battery time for your cumulative flight times. (Note that if you carry the POC on board but do not intend to use it while in flight you are still required to follow the FAA battery requirements. (See Portable Oxygen Concentrator (POC) FAA Battery Requirements below.)
• At least 48 hours prior to travel, have your physician complete the Physician's Statement and fax/email it to OxygenToGo at the contact information listed on the Statement. Failure to submit the Physician Statement at least 48 hours prior to travel may result in delays or refusal to board.
• You will receive a telephone confirmation from OxygenToGo when they have received the completed Physician's Statement. Contact OxygenToGo if you do not receive a confirmation call.
• You must bring the completed Physician's Statement to the airport to confirm the need for in-flight oxygen and to verify the required flow rate. Carry the Statement with you, rather than in checked baggage.

Accepted POCs

The following portable oxygen concentrators are accepted on Delta, Delta Connection and the Delta Shuttle®. If your Delta ticketed flight is operated by another airline, contact them directly for their policy regarding medical oxygen or inquire with OxygenToGo.     

• AirSep FreeStyle
• AirSep LifeStyle 
• AirSep Focus
• AirSep Freestyle 5
• Delphi RS-00400/Oxus RS-00400
  
• DeVilbiss Healthcare iGo
• Inogen One
• Inogen One G2
• Inogen One G3
• Inova Labs LifeChoice Activox
• Invacare SOLO 2
• International Biophysics LifeChoice/ lnova Labs LifeChoice
• Invacare XPO2
• Oxlife Independence Oxygen Concentrator
• Precision Medical EasyPulse
• Respironics EverGo
• Respironics SimplyGo
• SeQual Eclipse¹
• SeQual SAROS¹

POC FAA Battery Requirements

The FAA requires that a POC user must have 150% of their actual flight time in battery time, regardless of how long the user may choose to use the device as a carry-on item.

The appropriate number of batteries should be calculated using the manufacturer's estimate of the hours of battery life while the device is in use and the information provided in the physician's statement (e.g., flow rate for the POCs). The expected maximum flight duration is defined as the carrier's best estimate of the total duration of the flight from departure gate to arrival gate.

Call OxygenToGo at 866-692-0040 to discuss your specific battery needs; OxygenToGo rents batteries for most portable oxygen concentrators.

¹Note: These POCs may be transported on Shuttle America/Chautauqua but are no longer acceptable for use onboard the aircraft.

If you need an assistive or non-oxygen-generating life-support device — like a respirator, nebulizer or ventilator — you may bring it in the cabin for use during the flight, as long as it fits in an FAA approved storage location. You'll need to purchase an extra seat (at the lowest available fare) if your equipment will not fit in storage.

We recommend you use dry-cell batteries for your equipment because electrical outlets are not available on our aircraft. Wet-cell batteries are prohibited in the aircraft cabin for safety reasons.

CPAP, BiPap machines and oxygen concentrators (other than those we've approved) will only be accepted if they have been tested by the manufacturer to comply with FAA safety regulations and display a label indicating that the machine is approved for use on an aircraft. Additional review of testing data must be provided to Delta for approval prior to travel.

The following C-PAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) , Bi-PAP (Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure), and V-PAP (Variable Positive Airway Pressure) machines have been approved by the FAA and Delta for use on board Delta, Delta shuttle, and Delta Connection carriers.

Delta does not provide any onboard power sources for assistive devices. The customer is responsible for providing batteries with enough life to support the trip they are on. Empower, available on certain aircrafts, is for charging laptops only.

All other C-PAP, Bi-PAP, and V-PAP machines may be carried on, but may not be used during flight.  These machines are considered assistive devices and do not count toward carry on bag allowance. 

Delta does not impose restrictions on flying for pregnant women, so a medical certificate is not required to travel. Keep in mind, however, that ticket change fees and penalties cannot be waived for pregnancy. If you're traveling after your eight month, it's a good idea to check with your doctor to be sure travel is not restricted.

 Effective on flights operating June 1, 2012 and beyond, when you notify us that you have a peanut allergy, we’ll refrain from serving peanuts and peanut products onboard your flight. We'll also advise cabin service to board additional non-peanut snacks, which will allow our flight attendants to serve these snack items to everyone within this area. Gate agents will be notified in case you'd like to pre-board and cleanse the immediate seating area. We'll do everything we can, but unfortunately we still can't guarantee that the flight will be completely peanut-free.

You might also want to explore these additional resources for more detailed information.

Special Needs FAQs

Department of Transportation Rule 14 CFR Part 382: Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel (PDF)

We can accommodate a variety of types of chairs to ensure that you feel secure at every point in your journey.

Airport Wheelchairs

Delta has wheelchairs available for use at airport locations; request this service when making reservations. Upon arrival at the airport, simply notify a Delta representative that you require a wheelchair for transportation to the departure gate.

Aisle Chairs

Specially-designed aisle wheelchairs make it easy for our non-ambulatory passengers to reach their seat when boarding and deplaning our aircraft. If you think you need this service, please request it when making reservations so we can have the aisle chair available at your departure gate.

Onboard Wheelchairs

Every one of our mainline aircraft includes an onboard wheelchair specially designed to fit the aisle of the aircraft and for use to and from the lavatory. Flight attendants are trained in the operation of this wheelchair and will assist you with its use. (They are not, however, required to lift or carry you.) This onboard wheelchair is not used outside the aircraft; if you need a wheelchair at a connecting point, arrangements can be made in advance via Reservations.

Alternative Boarding Devices

Stairways are sometimes used for boarding instead of loading bridges. If you are unable to ascend or descend steps, let a Delta representative know, and we will provide an alternative boarding method.

Delta Electric Cart Service

Electric carts are available at some major airports, including Atlanta, Cincinnati and New York (JFK Airport). These carts are available for use by semi-ambulatory passengers who have difficulty walking long distances; carts can pick-up and drop-off passengers throughout the terminal or concourses.

To accommodate all of our passengers, we transport all types of personal wheelchairs, including:      

• folding, collapsible and non-folding manual wheelchairs

• electric/battery-powered wheelchairs and one additional wheelchair battery
• electric-powered carts and scooters and one additional wheelchair battery
• crutches, braces, or other prosthetic devices

For smooth service, please provide at least 48 hours advance notice and be sure to check in at the ticket counter at least one hour ahead of departure if you need to check any battery-powered equipment.

You will find it helpful to fill out this form to accompany your wheelchair. Please print the form and place in a plastic sleeve or laminate for repeated use. It can be placed in the seat of the wheelchair or attached to the back of the chair.

Cabin Stowage

We limit the number of personal wheelchairs to one personal wheelchair per flight. If you use a collapsible personal wheelchair, you may ask to have it stowed onboard when you are pre-boarded if it meets the size and weight restrictions for the approved storage space on the aircraft. (Not all aircraft stowage locations accommodate all sizes of wheelchairs.) Wheelchairs stowed onboard take priority over other carry-on items except those of through passengers.

Checking Your Wheelchair

You may check your wheelchair at the ticket counter or the gate and use Delta’s wheelchair equipment for travel within the airport.

If you have powered equipment that may require disassembly, please check it at the ticket counter so we may arrange for proper handling. Detachable items, like seat cushions and footrests, can be carried onboard or checked with the wheelchair in the cargo compartment.

If the wheelchair will fit upright through the aircraft cargo compartment door — or if it can be stowed upright in the cargo compartment — we will not need to disassemble your electric/battery-powered wheelchair and will leave the batteries attached.

If disassembly of the wheelchair is required, our employees may need instructions. Please attach assembly/disassembly instructions, along with your wheelchair's specific battery type, to the wheelchair.

If you’d prefer to use your personal wheelchair within the airport, you can arrange to have us check your personal wheelchair at the departing gate and return it to you at destination gate or at a connecting airport. Keep in mind, however, that the time between connecting flights may be insufficient to provide this service during layover, especially if disassembly and re-assembly of your wheelchair is required. If time is a factor, we recommend that you take advantage of Delta’s wheelchair service instead.

Federal Regulations

Delta and Delta Connection Carriers allow customers with battery-powered wheelchairs to check these assistive devices at the gate without having to disconnect the battery before transport. In order to transport your wheelchair or scooter without disconnecting the battery, your wheelchair or mobility aid must possess a defect-free battery in a rigid compartment that is integral to the device. The equipment must also have an effective method of preventing accidental activation during transport, including:  

• Inserting charger (effectively disengages power to the battery)
• Turning key off, removing the key
• Turning a kill switch
• Removing a power arm
• Taping a switch in closed position

There may be other circumstances that require the battery be disconnected. If you have any questions prior to travel please contact Delta Reservations and ask to be connected to the CRO Desk. At the airport, ask any Delta representative for assistance.

Batteries

You can help us by identifying your wheelchair batteries as either lithium-ion, spillable or non-spillable so that our employees may establish correct federal Dangerous Goods handling procedures.

Lithium Ion Batteries

Battery-powered mobility aids, wheelchairs and scooters, powered by lithium-ion batteries are not permitted to be carried by passengers as checked or carry-on baggage.

Wet-cell

Wet-cell batteries are considered spillable and required special preparations to be transported by air. In preparation, we must disconnect the battery and protect the terminals against electrical shorting. If we cannot fit your wheelchair equipment upright through the aircraft cargo compartment door, we must remove the battery and transport it in Delta's battery box (to meet all federal Dangerous Goods handling requirements). We cannot transport damaged or leaking batteries by air.

Dry-cell "Non-spillable"

Dry-cell and gel-cell batteries are considered non-spillable and have fewer requirements for handling. Powered wheelchair batteries may remain attached when the equipment fits upright through the aircraft cargo compartment door. Delta personnel will need to know that your device can be stowed in the aircraft without accidental activation or they will be required to disconnect the battery post connectors and wrap each post connector with tape to prevent electrical shorts during shipping.

Due to the size of the cargo compartment doors on regional jets and other smaller aircraft operated by our Delta Connection partners, some wheelchairs may not fit into the cargo compartment.

Customers traveling with wheelchairs on the airlines listed below are encouraged to review the dimensions below to determine whether their wheelchairs will fit into the cargo compartment, and to provide their wheelchair dimensions (height x width x depth) to Delta Reservations, in advance, for inclusion in their travel record.

To determine whether a wheelchair is within these specifications, removable parts such as footrests, headrests, cushions, removable armrests, etc. may be removed prior to measuring.