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Delta Employees to Wear Badges if Fluent in American Sign Language

Delta flight attendants who speak sign language will soon have the option to wear a pin to help better inform signing passengers they share a common language.

According to the airline, this makes them the first U.S. airline to officially offer sign language as part of their customer experience.

Delta employees who speak American Sign Language, or any of the more than 300 signed languages from around the world, will be able to wear a badge underneath their nameplate displaying their communication skills. The airline hopes that this will help signing customers quickly identify and connect with Delta team members who share the same language.

“Our mission is to connect the world, which starts with making travel easier for all people,” CEO Ed Bastian wrote on LinkedIn. “It’s a small step on our journey, but a powerful change as we seek to make the world a smaller, more inclusive place.”The new bar is a direct result of feedback from Delta customers, the ABLE Disability Business Resource Group for employees and the Advisory Board on Disability.

There have been several instances of passengers who speak sign language needing assistance in the air. Earlier this month, a Delta flight attendant wrote out an introduction and safety instructions for a 16-year-old passenger who was deaf and traveling by herself. And last year, a 15-year-old who was studying American Sign Language helped Alaska Airlines crew translate to a passenger who was blind and deaf.