Could the passenger experience be redefined and passengers pay according to their size?
British design firm Seymourpowell has created an aircraft seat concept, which could blur the boundaries of the traditional economy flight class, and see seat prices determined by passenger size.
The Morph concept sees foam pads replaced with a fabric that is stretched across three seats, around a frame and over formers.
Rather than a trio of individual seats, each made of several pieces of fabric and foam, Morph is better described as a bench. A single piece of fabric is stretched across to form the seats, and another forms the back of the chair. The individual seats are designated using armrests and dividers to clamp the fabric in place.
Instead of moving the entire seat back to adjust the pitch of the chair, mechanized seat formers are positioned under the fabric, allowing users to decide the recline and support that best fits them.
As the reclining movement happens within the fabric of the chair, its solid back does not need to move.
With some airlines charging significantly more to sit in an exit row or close to the front of the plane, it’s easy to see the scenario where a couple travel with a child and each takes up a different width. The total width of the Morph is 54″ and the central seat can be made as small as 10 inches wide. This creates two 22-inch seats on the both sides, offering airlines and passengers a “premium” row for those would like to pay more for the space. This configuration could also potentially save money for overweight people, some of whom buy two adjacent seats when traveling.
N.B: Images copyright Seymourpowell
