LONG - H AUL C ONCEPTS
Managing
expectations
Focus on the basics
“Conventional thinking along the lines
of adapting wide-body long-haul
cabin products and shoehorning them
into a narrow-body platform will not
necessarily be the answer,” warns
Cristian Sutter, an industrial designer
and aircraft cabin specialist.
The reason, says Sutter, is that the
cabin real estate of a single-aisle
aircraft is not just more limited than
that of a wide-body – it is also more
sensitive to adaptations, meaning that
it wouldn’t directly translate into a
similar customer experience without
reducing cabin density and creating
an imbalance in the aircraft’s
economics that may make it less
suitable to operate than a wide-body
on certain routes.
“Getting the cabin product basics
right, specifically taking into account
the fuselage space and weight
limitations (could NEOs be tail heavy?)
would be key in delivering a flying
experience that makes the narrowbody
a relevant customer proposition
for long-haul routes without defeating
aircraftinteriorsinternational.com
094 MARCH 2020
the object of operating such
an aircraft,” states Sutter.
His suggestions include fitting
seats that have a compact
footprint without disregarding
the ergonomic requirements
of long-haul travel (“unlike
some LCCs”, says Sutter),
a re-imagined meal service
that would work within the
comparatively smaller galley
footprint in terms of storage and
preparation, and creating waiting
areas around lavatories so the queue
does not encroach on passengers
and crew space.
“In the end, success could depend on
creating a flying experience that works
within the real-estate constraints
of the cabin to deliver a customer
proposition that makes it a worthwhile
option over flying on wide-body
aircraft from major airport hubs. This
is a better approach than trying to
scale down a cabin product that was
never design to work in a narrow-body
environment in the first place.”
CONSIDER COMFORT
PERCEPTION
Studies have shown
that perception plays
a significant role in
people’s assessment
of seat comfort. The
physical ergonomics
related to comfort can
be broken down into
three areas: perceived,
initial and general.
These factors have been recognised by Pitch Aircraft
Seating’s chief designer, Gary Doy. He states that curved
surfaces help to provide a positive impression of seat
comfort, which can be further enhanced through the
careful design and application of dress covers and
materials. The initial comfort of a seat is influenced by
the amount of compression and resistance felt by the
occupant when first sitting in it – what many might refer
to as the ‘softness’ of the seat cushion. This quality is
related to the density of the PU foam used in both the
cushion and the laminated foam in the dress cover,
while individual cover designs also affect the perception
of softness.
“General seat comfort is arguably the most beneficial
attribute, so a good cushion system should provide
support and hold the passenger in a suspended position
without ‘bottoming out’. This comfort factor becomes
increasingly important on flights in excess of four
hours,” explains Doy.
Many passengers perceive greater
comfort in wide-bodies, regardless of
actual seat comfort. However, airlines
may soon operate long routes with
single- and twin-aisle aircraft, which
calls for management of expectations.
“The seat hardware needs to provide
at least the same levels of comfort, space
and features on both. I would argue that
slightly better pitch and extra attention
to comfort in the narrow-body cabin
would go a long way to levelling the
perception gaps,” states Daniel Baron,
CEO of Lift Aero Design in Tokyo.
In business class, Baron sees a real
opportunity to shift perception from
‘downgraded to single aisle’ to ‘feels
like my own private jet’.
“After all, for decades the most
popular zone for business travellers
was the most narrow one on the
market: the upper deck of the B747,”
says Baron. “Perception of exclusivity
can be achieved through suites with
doors, larger lavs, and greater physical
separation between premium yield zones
and classes for the masses using, for
example, a self-service area.”
RIGHT: CRISTIAN
SUTTER LED
LONG-HAUL CABIN
DEVELOPMENT AT BA
AND IS NOW DIRECTOR
OF COMMERCIAL
AVIATION STRATEGY
AT GDC TECHNICS
“ Perception of exclusivity
can be achieved”
/aircraftinteriorsinternational.com