A comfortable seat to sink into when you board a plane wasn't always a given for air travel. Artemis Aerospace investigates – take a seat and find out more!
WISTON, England , Sept. 13, 2024 - You've made it to the airport, checked your luggage in, browsed the shops and finally got on the plane. You've bagged a window seat, stowed your bag in the overhead locker and perused your fellow passengers, hoping you won't end up with a seat-kicker behind or seat recliner in front . . . what you're probably not thinking about is the design of your seat. However, there's an interesting history behind the evolution of airline seats. Here we delve into it …
Today, the comfort of travellers during their journey is a top priority for airlines competing for business; designers battle it out to provide the most relaxing experience. This is quite a change from the very first seating arrangements for passengers in the 1920s, which were plain wicker chairs – and these weren't even fastened to the floor, so any in-flight turbulence had the potential to cause an untidy heap of wicker and people. The wicker chairs lasted for around ten years and were subsequently fitted to the floor as well as having extra padding and being lined with leather. Leather was a practical option as it was easy to clean back in the day when air travel was a much dustier experience. By the end of the thirties, velour covers were making their way in.
In 1930, the Aluminum Company of America designed an aluminium passenger seat which was light and adaptable. Fast forward to the present day and nearly all airline seats are still manufactured in aluminium. This first seat may have been a state-of-the-art invention, but there was still no means of adjusting it, although foam-filled rubber seats were introduced to prevent discomfort from sitting on a hard metal chair.
Initially, seats were usually arranged in a 2+1, 2+2 or 3+3 formation as aircraft grew in size. As longer flights gradually became possible, the recliner chair was introduced in 1929, thus igniting the age-old issue of whether to recline and possibly annoy the person behind or remain upright. Some airlines introduced seats which converted to beds for an overnight flight, and the move towards the comfort of passengers began to grow in momentum, with improved shock absorbency in the seats and the introduction of head and footrests.
Some of the first seating arrangements involved seats configured around a table, as they are in trains, and when food began to be served on aircraft, it was brought to the traveller on a real tray. One can imagine the mess if the plane hit a rough patch! The tray tables which fold down from the back of the seat weren't introduced until 1973.
In 1952 multi-fare flights were permitted by IATA (International Air Transport Association) and that was the beginning of the airline class system, with standard class seats being roomier than those in coach class (which became economy), but still with all the seats facing the front.
In the 21st century, with increased emphasis on customer experience, airlines are experimenting with different seating configurations, such as reverse or staggered herringbone set-ups, which give more privacy and enable people to access the aisle without clambering over their fellow passengers.
Back-of-seat screens didn't appear until 1988; prior to that onboard entertainment consisted of a large screen at the front of the cabin and individual headphones. Top of the range LED high-definition touch screens on seat backs are now beginning to be replaced by direct-to-device screening.
Interestingly, recliner seats are on the decrease. Finnair has removed them entirely from business class, while BA's new Airbus models have pre-reclined seats. There are a number of reasons for this. Firstly, the cost of reclining seats is high, and with many complicated parts, they are easily broken by impatient passengers and require frequent maintenance. They are much heavier, adding to the weight of the plane and subsequent cost of fuel. Removing them also saves space – and eliminates the regular necessity for cabin crew to mediate between the recliners and the irate reclined-on!
Today's aircraft seat is manufactured with strict guidelines on flammability in the materials used and is designed to protect the passenger as much as possible in the event of an accident. Interestingly, in this age of sustainability, Air France has an initiative whereby its old aircraft seating materials are recycled into no doubt très chic bags and accessories.
Latest high-end seat designs can include LED screens with Bluetooth, USB charging ports, noise-cancelling headphones or even headrest speakers and motorised leg rests. Emirates airline's first class seats even have a zero gravity setting which helps create a sense of weightlessness for better sleep. It's a long way from a wicker chair . . .
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