Cognitive Disability and Airport Services

We are here to help if you or a companion needs navigation or wayfinding assistance throughout your airport experience. Our goal is to provide you with support to make your journey more accessible and enjoyable, including assistance communicating, checking in, boarding, deplaning or connecting to another flight. For assistance, please find one of our Red Coats – our airport customer service experts, identifiable by their bright red coats.

Multi-sensory rooms are designed to support passengers who need to take a break from the sights and sounds of a busy airport. Some multi-sensory rooms include calming colors, sounds and a small aircraft mock-up to give passengers an opportunity to get familiar with air travel before their flight. To receive multi-sensory room access, please look for and notify one of our Red Coats.

We are prepared to help passengers throughout their day of travel with assistance that includes: 

• Navigating the airport (in between the airport terminal entrance and gate, between the gate and aircraft, boarding and deplaning the aircraft and between the gate and baggage claim)
• Assisting with gate-checked or carry-on baggage
• Checking the status of connecting flights

Passengers requiring assistance will need to self-identify at all points of travel (upon arrival to the airport, onboard the aircraft, during any connections, and upon arrival at their destination).

You can purchase a ticket for a companion or personal care assistant to accompany you if needed. At the airport on the day of departure, Delta may require that you arrange for a personal care assistant or safety assistant to accompany you in the following circumstances:

• If you are unable to comprehend or respond to safety related instructions
• If you have both a hearing and vision disability that prevents you from establishing a means of communication with Delta personnel sufficiently to receive the safety briefing
• If you have a mobility disability that physically prevents you from assisting in your own evacuation during an emergency

Individuals who are not ticketed for travel but need to provide assistance to a customer are allowed past security checkpoints. They must check-in at the ticket counter to receive a pass that allows them through security without a ticket.

Our flight crew wants to ensure your safety and comfort. While in flight, they can assist you with  stowing or retrieving carry-on items (including mobility aids and other assistive devices stowed in the cabin), identifying food on your meal tray or opening packages.

As a reminder, flight attendants are not required to assist in feeding or lavatory functions. They cannot lift or carry you and cannot provide medical services such as dispensing medicine or giving injections. You may consider purchasing a ticket for a personal care attendant or travel companion if you will need any of the above services that are not provided.  As a reminder, individuals who do not have a ticket are allowed past security checkpoints, but they must check-in at the ticket counter to receive a pass that allows them through security without a ticket.

If you have a speech, communication-related or cognitive disability, you can indicate your preference of assistance by filling out the Accessibility Service Request form in My Trips and notifying a Delta Representative of your service request upon arrival at the airport. You may also call the Delta Disability Line at 404-209-3434 (dial 711 for relay services) for assistance.