Coming to a jet near you: walk-up food kiosks and piped birdsong
As planemakers focus on delivering record jetliner backlogs at the expense of designing new models, airlines are keener than ever to secure an edge over rivals with the latest onboard upgrades and gizmos. That might mean snazzy new business seats each costing more than a family car, or cheap and cheerful innovations aimed at making 10 hours in coach just a little more bearable. The 2018 Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg — the industry’s biggest event devoted solely to the inside of the aircraft — featured the following highlights, some more likely to make it to market than others:
Serve-yourself nibbles
Tired of waiting for the food trolley to went its way slowly to your seat? Switzerland’s Bucher Aerospace is developing a galley for wide-body aircraft that doubles as a food kiosk, allowing passengers to wander up for peanuts or a soft drink at any time.
Tweets in the bathroom
Airbus SE is seeking to improve the ambience of aircraft washrooms by piping in a soundtrack of birdsong. Sound engineers will take the background noise of the aircraft engine as the basic element and compose fitting accompaniments from the dawn chorus to be played over the top.
Seats that snitch
Soisa Aircraft Interiors of Mexico showcased technology that integrates ambient lighting into the seat headrest. The advantage: you find your place faster, and the seat can point you toward the nearest emergency exit.
Standing room only
Washrooms are a focus area because they add weight but provide zero revenue. Zodiac Aerospace is offering a modification that converts one of four lavatories in a wide-body jet into two urinals. That means shorter lines for males, and another facility to be made female-only.