Overlooked and undervalued, the lowly Economy Class airline seat holds the key to comfort on those seemingly endless intercontinental flights. As a recent article in Bloomberg points out, the space between Economy seats has been steadily shrinking, from 34 to 35 inches down to 30 to 31 inches. So, it's up to technology and design to fill the gap for that missing leg room. Here are some of the latest innovations meant to comfort and distract.
Ergonomic Design with Connectivity
Airlines are demanding seats that offer a lot in a small space. Designers have created a more comfortable seat, that many airlines are using, by moving the pamphlet/magazine pocket from space around the knees up to space level with one's shoulders. Some are even eliminating it. The move has created more space for your legs. Engineers have also designed seats that are thin plus light (important for keeping weight down to fly efficiently). Ergonomically, these new seats are molded to the shape of one's back. Connectivity while in flight has also become very important. Most airlines provide Wi-Fi and inflight entertainment. Inflight entertainment may be presented on a seat back screen or, more increasingly, streamed to personal devices such as laptops, smartphones, and tablets. Today's seat is thin and streamlined.
Virtual reality is coming to the airline seat. Imagine sitting in your seat and passing the journey viewing programs that surround you. Currently, virtual reality headsets are available to use with your iPhone or Android smartphones. Looks like the airlines are going to provide this form of entertainment, too. Passengers on Air France will be the first to enjoy this privilege with Skylights' Allosky headsets, which feature optical adjustment for people with different levels of eyesight and the capacity to be connected right to a power source at the seat.
Speaking of power sources, the new generation of airline seats are becoming fully connected with AC power ports and USB ports so that you may power your personal devices during flight. In fact, there are already many airlines seats that come equipped with these power ports.
More Creative Use of the Space
Have you ever wished you could just lie down on the airplane floor because it was the only place you could lie down without having an armrest or seat belt buckle jabbing you in the ribs? Air New Zealand and China Airlines have finally come up with a solution. Air New Zealand's Economy Skycouch and China Airlines' Family Couch consist of a row of three economy class seats with an additional footrest that folds up to create a large flat space. The space is roomy enough to accommodate a couple who wants to sleep together or give a family with children a private space to play and sleep.
Other innovations are in the works. One involves a twisting seat that is fitted with ribs that mimic the human spine and adjusts with the passenger's body. The ribs, at a press of a button, may be held in position when a comfortable position is obtained. Another makes the middle seat wider, slightly lower, and further back from the other two. The repositioning of the middle seat reduces shoulder-to-shoulder contact between seat mates. New seat ideas continue to evolve and it will be interesting to see which of these ideas will airlines incorporate into their product.
