UP F RONT
OPEN ACCESS
The Row 1 airport wheelchair concept has been designed to improve accessibility
for passengers with reduced mobility, as well as to give them more autonomy and dignity
ABOVE: THE ROW 1 CHAIR FITS
DIRECTLY OVER AN EXISTING
ECONOMY CLASS SEAT
BELOW: THE LARGE REAR WHEELS
ARE USED IN THE AIRPORT. IN
THE CABIN THEY ARE REMOVED
AND STORED UNDER THE SEAT,
REPLACED BY A SET OF CASTORS
lowered to make the seat more manoeuvrable, which
also aids lavatory access. Then it is a simple matter of
folding down the rear companion handles, lowering the
armrests and pulling out the front companion handles,
and the Row 1 chair can be steered over a standard front
row economy seat and locked in place.
The process is quick and simple, helping alleviate
those concerns about being watched while boarding and
removing the indignity of being lifted by crew from their
chair to their aircraft seat, as well as helping to make
the boarding and disembarking processes more timeefficient
There are further benefits to airlines, as according to
the 2015 Market Study by the Open Doors Organization
(ODO), a non-profit organisation focussed on disabled
access in travel and tourism, in 2015, American adults
with disabilities spent US$17.3 billion on their own
travel. These travellers are clearly important economic
demographic, especially when taking into account
that these individuals typically travel with one or more
other adults, making their economic impact more like
US$34.6 billion.
It seems that
making air travel easier
and more enjoyable
for passengers with
reduced mobility is
not just good for
humanity, but for
airlines’ bottom line.
aircraftinteriorsinternational.com
SEPTEMBER 2019 019
All passengers should have an enjoyable and dignified
flight experience, but for some travellers with disabilities,
this is not always the case. Republic of Ireland-based
industrial designer, Ciara Crawford has been applying
design to help such flyers, resulting in the Row 1 airport
wheelchair system, a concept designed to enable
passengers to use one seat from the airport check-in
desk, to the aircraft, to their destination airport,
minimising the frustration of seat transfers.
Seat transfers have been identified by Crawford as a
‘pain point’ of flying, following interviews with potential
users of the system who highlighted concerns including
having to get to the gate early in order to board early so
they can avoid their seat transfer process being watched
by other passengers. Other pain points included issues
with airport assistance, and aircraft lavatory access.
Crawford’s solution is the Row 1 concept, a batterypowered
wheelchair that can be booked ahead, and once
at the check-in desk the passenger then transfers to the
Row 1 chair and checks in their personal chair. The chair
is initially a fairly conventional setup for negotiating the
airport, with a hand controller for
autonomous movement, and rear
companion handles if required.
Once the passenger is
boarding, however, the chair is
adapted to work better within
the cabin environment. The rear
wheels are removed and a set
of four smaller caster wheels
for airline operations.
AWARD WINNER
The Row 1 concept has won a platinum award in
the transportation/aircraft/aerospace category of
the 2019 European Product Design Awards, with
its designer, Ciara Crawford also winning the
Emerging Product Designer of the Year category.
See page 98 for an interview with accessibility campaigner, Michele Irwin
/aircraftinteriorsinternational.com