What Airlines Are Doing To Make Economy-Class Flights More Comfortable

on July 7, 2015 at 3:51 pm

Presented By Wingz – Scheduled Airport Rides

U.S. consumers are more satisfied with airlines in recent years, but the industry still gets relatively low marks. However, it seems many airlines have been making progress to improve passengers’ experience through new innovations. Here are astounding ways airlines are working to make your flight more enjoyable.

Coach seats converting into flat beds

Flying economy class means sleeping uncomfortably on cramped seats. But that’s changing. Several airlines have introduced economy seats that can be converted to flat beds, and some have taken that even further. Skycouch, a New Zealand airlines allows for a couple to buy 3 adjacent economy-class window seats for the price of 2.5 seats which can be converted into a flat bed using one push button only. Up to two people can recline together completely horizontally.

China Airlines shares the same idea of making economy-class seats into a flat bed for family and friends. These seats come with a mattress protector, pillows, blankets, and a toy for young travellers. The in-flight entertainment system for these seats also features a “Seat Chat” so you can share movies, music and messaging internally.

More legroom in economy class

For those who travel alone, Lufthansa created slimmer seats that are made with a mesh fiber instead of traditional foam padding to allow for increased legroom. The magazine slits are also placed at the top of the seat back, giving you more knee space than other economy-class seats.

Singapore Airlines’ premium economy-class seats are 19.5 inches wide, with increased legroom, 8 inches of recline, as well as a calf-rest and footrest.

Qantas has installed movable seats based on the seats of its A380, offering a more comfortable sleep for premium economy passengers. The footrest also replaces the metal bottom with a 12-inch hammock for optimal relaxation and continued circulation flow.

Rent an iPad

OpenSkies’ passengers who fly from New York to Paris can now benefit from using free iPads, while Jetstar has integrated brackets for iPads, which you can rent for $8.40, and Hawaiian Airlines has iPads for rent at $15 pre-flight.

Airplane interiors are brighter

Curving overhead bins, large ceiling panels lit with color LED, and LED sidewall lighting are things that are bringing into Boeing’s airplanes to make them look larger.

Filtered cabins are making breathing easier

Boeing has been known for innovations and their 787 Dreamliners are the first airplanes that have the most advanced filtration and cooling systems installed into the cabin to provide cleaner and fresher air. This system uses a HEPA filter to clean out bacteria and viruses, and a gas filter to rid the air of any odors. HEPA is essentially a network of randomly arranged wires, a step up from wire cloth filters from manufacturers like Newark Wire which have been used often in aerospace design. The randomness of the HEPA wires allows for a higher degree of filtration, allowing flight passengers to enjoy a better degree of air quality.

Michelin-starred chefs are creating menus for airline meals

Not many of us have enjoyed flights’ meals, but this bad experience will soon be gone because airlines are beginning to introduce meals designed by Michelin-starred chefs on longer flights. Imagine the new menus will include appetizers like potato salad with baby shrimp, entrees like wok-fried chicken and bamboo shoots in sesame oil, and desserts like strawberry mousse cake. At least those are what Singapore Airlines is offering.