Strap yourself in, flying in economy class is about to become a lot more comfortable if this start-up company has its way.
San Francisco-based start-up Zephyr Aerospace aims to make economy seating more spacious and comfortable for passengers, while providing them with ample privacy. The company has designed what they call the Zephyr Seat; it is essentially a double-decker seat and bed combination that can be retrofitted into existing commercial airline cabins. Moreover, the design helps airlines comply with social distancing measures as people travel in a COVID world.
The seats offer an all-aisle access configuration based on a 2-4-2 arrangement. Passengers can sit above and below each other in a bunk-bed style, using a telescopic ladder for convenient access to the upper level. Consequently, the multi-functional seat design allows them to lie completely flat, lounge at an angle, or sit upright with their legs fully extended.
According to Zephyr Aerospace CEO Jeffrey O’Neill, the design concept emerged after he faced discomfort during a 19-hour journey from New York to Singapore in premium-economy class. He draws parallels between this and another long-haul trip he’d experienced in Argentina by bus, which utilized bunk beds for passenger comfort. O’Neill realized that a similar design could work effectively on airplanes, offering economy class travelers a level of comfort closer to that of business class travelers.
“The Zephyr Seat delivers on all the needs of the modern traveler,” O’Neill stated. “I have made it my life’s mission to do all I can to bring this vision to life and permanently change the status quo of air travel.”
This concept resembles a similar project being tested by Air New Zealand, known as Economy Skynest. The Skynest features three rows of beds, with two beds on each level, designed akin to a bunk bed or pod hotel.