Revolutionizing Air Travel: Innovative Cabin Design Concept

A London-based studio has unveiled a design concept for both economy and business class aircraft cabins, giving passengers an insight into what air travel could look like in a pandemic world.

Pure Skies is a new aircraft cabin design concept from PriestmanGoode that aims to “future-proof” against potential new pandemics. This concept focuses on reducing passenger anxiety, improving personal space and hygiene, and facilitating touch-free journeys. The design features seats with ink that reacts to cleaning methods, changing color to purple to indicate cleanliness. Once the flight takes off, the color settles to soothing peach and yellow tones. Moreover, the team has introduced the concept of using ultraviolet light and heat to clean the cabin prior to boarding.

The design team focused on how space in economy cabins had become overly compromised and explored how “a total re-think of seat features and cabin layout” might improve the passenger experience. Notable features include large dividing screens to enhance separation between passengers and gapless seat shells in economy that eliminate dirt traps, thus reducing the risk of virus transmission.

PriestmanGoode has categorized its new cabin into two distinct areas: Pure Skies Rooms for business class and Pure Skies Zones for economy class. In the Pure Skies Rooms, each seat is a fully enclosed personal space, partitioned by full-length curtains. In the Pure Skies Zones, a staggered seat configuration maximizes personal space and enables passengers to sit with their travel companions. Furthermore, entertainment screens have been replaced with the passengers’ personal devices, such as iPads or smartphones, minimizing touch points. The traditionally unhygienic back-seat tray is swapped for a clip-on meal tray provided directly from the dining trolley.

Nigel Goode, co-founding Director at PriestmanGoode, stated that they have envisioned future scenarios by taking into account new passenger behaviors driven by the global pandemic. This forward-thinking approach aims to ensure that their designs can be implemented within a few years while meeting both user and airline requirements for many years ahead.

“With both passengers and airline employees at the heart of this project, we have addressed current anxieties and have sought to provide solutions that are future-proof against potential pandemics, recognizing the significant commitment and investment involved,” commented Goode.