https://airtraveldesign.guide Air Travel Design Guide Sun, 05 Jun 2022 03:04:56 +0000 https://airtraveldesign.guide en https://airtraveldesign.guide/Intro Fri, 03 Jun 2022 20:35:16 +0000 Air Travel Design Guide https://airtraveldesign.guide/Intro Air ︎ Travel Design Guide is a resource for air travel designers, policy makers and enthusiasts, that describes the design of artifacts / spaces / systems that impact the passenger experience of air travel. Enter ︎ A project by Responsive Environments &amp; Artifacts Lab&nbsp; atHarvard Graduate School of Design https://airtraveldesign.guide/Foyer Sun, 05 Jun 2022 03:04:56 +0000 Air Travel Design Guide https://airtraveldesign.guide/Foyer Guidebook Design ︎ Brainstorm Workshop ︎ &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Biometric Experience ︎ https://airtraveldesign.guide/Airplane-Seat Sat, 03 Oct 2020 19:36:05 +0000 Air Travel Design Guide https://airtraveldesign.guide/Airplane-Seat Airplane Seat <img width="1555" height="1321" width_o="1555" height_o="1321" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0703a8a3088f1fd81ccc28579c43b21dc2c7105a79a1e04330bb2e59a1bd0b90/0_Airplane-Seat.png" data-mid="84510676" border="0" data-scale="100" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/0703a8a3088f1fd81ccc28579c43b21dc2c7105a79a1e04330bb2e59a1bd0b90/0_Airplane-Seat.png" /> “The seat is easily the most important ingredient in the airplane interior. Make a man comfortable, and everything looks rosy to him. He can relax, his food tastes better, the trip will seem hours shorter.” - Henry Dreyfuss ︎︎︎ Related entries: &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Armrest, &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Cabin Divider, &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Comfort, &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Jetiquette, ︎&nbsp;Random entry Tags: airplane interior, materials,&nbsp; spatial configuration,proxemics &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Design Decisions The airplane seat is crucial to passenger comfort, as a zone of area which passengers’ movements are usually limited to during a flight. The choice of materials of an airplane seat is dictated primarily by requirements of weight, durability, and safety in the case of a crash. To reduce fuel use, airlines seek to minimize the weight of any object on board as much as possible, and the choice of seat textiles are determined primarily by their durability, to withstand the heavy usage throughout their life cycle of 6-10 years before an interior overhaul. In terms of safety, all parts of the seat must comply with aircraft fire regulations[1], and no part should come apart in a manner that would pose a safety hazard to the passenger, should there be a crash. The economic feasibility of air travel is dependent upon spatial efficiency. These pressures to maximize space has led to “cabin densification” across airlines, felt most strongly in the economy class. Seats have become slimmer and legroom has diminished. While 34 to 35 inches of distance between seats was once common for economy class, most aircrafts currently allot 30 to 31 inches of distance, with a few major carriers providing only 28 inches&nbsp;[2]. <img width="800" height="600" width_o="800" height_o="600" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c31925db97ac25eb69a8f628a7af88d19f9ae7cce78c3cfaa5ec898cbc8a5fad/The-Bike-Seat-Squat-patent.jpg" data-mid="84510704" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/800/i/c31925db97ac25eb69a8f628a7af88d19f9ae7cce78c3cfaa5ec898cbc8a5fad/The-Bike-Seat-Squat-patent.jpg" /> Patent for bicycle type seats for short-haul flights Aircraft manufacturers have endeavored to be prepared for numerous spatial strategies for maximizing efficiency, filing patents that anticipate a wide range of possible design directions. <img width="696" height="433" width_o="696" height_o="433" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/87ae4fc512a9eb68412f0052f7b2804e2a9e7fa5bc041ec20640389ad2454ccf/Top-Bunk-Tetris-airbus-patent-seating-0531AV.gif" data-mid="84510703" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/696/i/87ae4fc512a9eb68412f0052f7b2804e2a9e7fa5bc041ec20640389ad2454ccf/Top-Bunk-Tetris-airbus-patent-seating-0531AV.gif" /> Patent for stacking seats in order to allow each seat to recline completely flat. This trend is counterbalanced, however, by regulations that mandate a certain ratio of flight attendants to seats; an increase in the flight crew also increases overhead and labor costs for the airlines&nbsp;[2]. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has introduced new physical distancing requirements, and have made passengers reluctant to even consider traveling by air. As personal space becomes more important due to COVID-19, the trend toward cabin densification may have halted. <img width="898" height="674" width_o="898" height_o="674" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a6f8428928e213e2d12bb6068aa95f330186cf52fb73c03eed94d72ea5506826/hexagon-seating-patent-sm.jpg" data-mid="84510700" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/898/i/a6f8428928e213e2d12bb6068aa95f330186cf52fb73c03eed94d72ea5506826/hexagon-seating-patent-sm.jpg" /> Patent for maximizing space by hexagonal arrangement of seats&nbsp; Effects on Passengers<img width="747" height="387" width_o="747" height_o="387" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/64acdbe25352754674b5efc3568dfbe4c0132f48652d26979d2358feaf506d2a/Figure-from-Kremser-2012.png" data-mid="84510699" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/747/i/64acdbe25352754674b5efc3568dfbe4c0132f48652d26979d2358feaf506d2a/Figure-from-Kremser-2012.png" /> Diagram of sitting pitch (A), and legroom (B) Passengers and human factors researchers primarily focus on legroom as one of the most important factors influencing comfort in the economy class&nbsp;[4,5]. A variety of studies have also sought to identify the optimal seating pitch, which is the distance between the same two points on a seat from the seat in front&nbsp;[4]. One study identified the optimal seating pitch as 34 inches to 40 inches, depending on the passengers’ bodily proportions. Notably, it also observed that an increase in the distance beyond that did not necessarily correlate with increasing comfort. In fact, “there is a turning point where larger seat pitches lead to less well-being”[4], perhaps as a result of passengers feeling overexposed.&nbsp; The amount of legroom is a useful shortcut for assessing comfort levels, but other factors also contribute significantly to the feeling of comfort in one’s seat. The overall well-being of a passenger is influenced by both physiological and psychological factors [4, 5]. Passenger surveys have specifically highlighted proximity to neighbors, perception of hygiene, and crew attention as key psychological factors&nbsp;[6]. In particular, invasion of personal space is a critical source of discomfort for aircraft passengers. While many of these invasions often take the form of physical encroachments, other sensory factors play major roles, including smells, noise, or eye contact&nbsp;[7]. What-Ifs What if airplane seats were integrated with Internet of Things (IoT) systems? Various companies have been developing sensor systems that keep track of seatbelt usage and reclined seats so that the crew would not have to do time-consuming and intrusive monitoring during take-off and landing. These technologically integrated seats could also monitor other conditions such as hydration or anxiety levels, but will also have to be respectful of privacy concerns.&nbsp; What if instead of organizing the cabin by class, it was organized by usage types? These usage types might be family lounging, computer work, gaming, and sleeping. When purchasing tickets today, families often try to reserve a row of seats for themselves; this would be a natural extension of that inclination. Machine learning could be used to help optimize the seating configuration, so that more convivial activities like family lounging and gaming would be adjacent, and quieter activities such as work and sleeping could be paired elsewhere. Airbus’s Cabin Vision 2030 video shows such a proposal, showcasing dedicated spaces for five general passenger personas: a young family, an elderly couple, a gamer, a business worker, and a sleeper&nbsp;[8]. Airspace Cabin Vision 2030 proposal&nbsp; What if airplane seats were staggered, to allow for greater personal space, and to assist with Covid-19 social distancing? With the advent of Covid-19, a temporary solution to social distancing protocols has been to leave the middle seat empty. The middle seat is already popularly deemed the most uncomfortable and awkward seat on the plane. Several proposals have been made that give greater personal space to the middle seat, and some can easily be adapted to also address Covid-19. The seats could be staggered sequentially to allow for each window, middle, and aisle seat passenger to have their own armrest and sense of dedicated space[9].&nbsp;<img width="1410" height="1393" width_o="1410" height_o="1393" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1cbd87fd7a64f978385bd63c2391faf0e1189db2981383b6ed5720d52200f948/Staggered-Seating--.png" data-mid="84715364" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/1cbd87fd7a64f978385bd63c2391faf0e1189db2981383b6ed5720d52200f948/Staggered-Seating--.png" /> Staggered seat design by Thompson Aero Seating&nbsp; Another solution is a staggered S-shape pattern with the middle seat facing opposite from the window and aisle seats. A curtain could wrap around the seats in an S-shape to provide extra contact protection to each passenger&nbsp;[10]. <img width="2048" height="1609" width_o="2048" height_o="1609" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/6e984f40e0d0d8bcb4e6559ce1ce97a79553e1268d2aeb180483ca93aa9e9940/Janus-2.jpg" data-mid="84510701" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/6e984f40e0d0d8bcb4e6559ce1ce97a79553e1268d2aeb180483ca93aa9e9940/Janus-2.jpg" />Janus seat design by Avio Interiors&nbsp; What if airplane seats were not fixed in place? What if they could be reconfigured based on the number of passengers? Airplane seat layout changes normally take a day to implement, but a different design approach could allow for faster and easier seat reconfiguration according to real-time passenger count for that flight. One such idea is proposed by Airbus’s “Smart Cabin Reconfiguration” system, which features foldable seats installed along a floor rail. This system would allow the cabin crew to quickly adapt the number of seats to the number of passengers scheduled to board. If a flight is not full, the empty seats could be folded up to become more compact, and slid along the floor rail toward the back. Then the remaining seats could be spaced further apart, allowing more legroom and comfort for the passengers onboard&nbsp;[1].&nbsp; <img width="1212" height="809" width_o="1212" height_o="809" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/469004eae8c178579dd2beb02dd7165e4d95c1a4a22fa462ed9544540f96479b/Airbus_SmartCabinReconfig.jpg" data-mid="84715376" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/469004eae8c178579dd2beb02dd7165e4d95c1a4a22fa462ed9544540f96479b/Airbus_SmartCabinReconfig.jpg" />Airbus’s Smart Cabin Reconfiguration proposes foldable seats installed along a floor rail&nbsp; Lyon, R. E. 2008. “20 - Materials with Reduced Flammability in Aerospace and Aviation.” In Advances in Fire Retardant Materials, edited by A. R. Horrocks and D. Price, 573–98. Woodhead Publishing Series in Textiles. Woodhead Publishing. Bachman, Justin. 2017. “The Incredible Shrinking Airline Seat.” Bloomberg.Com, August 17, 2017. Heller, Karen. “Inside America’s Dysfunctional Love Affair with the Travel Pillow.” Washington Post, Sept 9, 2019, sec. Style. Kremser, Florian, Fabian Guenzkofer, Claudia Sedlmeier, Olaf Sabbah, and Klaus Bengler. 2012. “Aircraft Seating Comfort: The Influence of Seat Pitch on Passengers’ Well-Being.” Work (Reading, Mass.) 41 Suppl 1: 4936–42. Vink, P., C. Bazley, I. Kamp, and M. Blok. 2012. “Possibilities to Improve the Aircraft Interior Comfort Experience.” Applied Ergonomics 43 (2): 354–59. Vink, Peter. 19. Aircraft Interior Comfort and Design. 1st ed. Ergonomics Design &amp; Mgmt. Theory &amp; Applications. CRC Press. Lewis, Laura, Harshada Patel, Mirabelle D’Cruz, and Sue Cobb. 2017. “What Makes a Space Invader? Passenger Perceptions of Personal Space Invasion in Aircraft Travel.” Ergonomics 60 (11): 1461–70. Airbus. 2019. Airspace Cabin Vision 2030. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loWML-pIsaU. Garcia, M. (2015, April 16). “The Economy Seat Concept That Will Have Passengers Booking the Middle Seat”.&nbsp; Walton, John. "Aviointeriors Proposes Post-COVID-19 Janus Seats." Runway Girl. June 07, 2020.&nbsp; Kim, Soo. "Revealed: The Aircraft Interiors of the Future." The Telegraph. April 06, 2016.&nbsp; https://airtraveldesign.guide/Armrest Tue, 06 Oct 2020 04:15:53 +0000 Air Travel Design Guide https://airtraveldesign.guide/Armrest Armrest <img width="1117" height="1657" width_o="1117" height_o="1657" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/629ce356bcc55e2ceb892d2ded0c96a2ca7c08eb42b2d33fb93fb1c5ef99f1a6/0_Armrest.png" data-mid="84728068" border="0" data-scale="62" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/629ce356bcc55e2ceb892d2ded0c96a2ca7c08eb42b2d33fb93fb1c5ef99f1a6/0_Armrest.png" /> The armrest has become a flashpoint for the issue of the lack of personal space on the plane. ︎︎︎ Related entries: &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Airplane Seat &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Comfort &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Jetiquette &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Travel&nbsp;Pillow ︎&nbsp;Random entry Tags: airplane interior, proxemics, materials, psychology &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Design Decisions The armrest is a structure that provides support for the forearm at the side of chairs and sofas, a feature so ubiquitous that it rarely draws much attention. In the airplane context, however, the armrest has gained an outsized symbolic importance in the passenger experience. As airlines move toward more tightly packed seating arrangements, the armrest has become a flashpoint for the issue of the lack of personal space on the plane. The seemingly small question of who gets to use which armrest has provoked numerous “armrest wars” among adjacent passengers, and intensified resentment among the economy class passengers toward fellow passengers and airline companies. <img width="1832" height="1951" width_o="1832" height_o="1951" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/098ca616de22711acbab888ebafdf4ee150fb57e7bbf33786c616e9ef7a9f968/Airplane-seat-US20150203207A1-20150723-D00000-2.png" data-mid="84782685" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/098ca616de22711acbab888ebafdf4ee150fb57e7bbf33786c616e9ef7a9f968/Airplane-seat-US20150203207A1-20150723-D00000-2.png" /><img width="2566" height="1380" width_o="2566" height_o="1380" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/d27ddaf49a5311c80171bd81572e455afc57346bcee90cfa7df2354627b85bd7/Airplane-seat-US20150203207A1-20150723-D00000.png" data-mid="84782686" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/d27ddaf49a5311c80171bd81572e455afc57346bcee90cfa7df2354627b85bd7/Airplane-seat-US20150203207A1-20150723-D00000.png" />Patent for airplane seats showing ambiguity of armrest spatial “ownership” for middle seats. The current design constraints for armrests primarily relate to issues of safety in the event of crash landing, material wear and tear, and spatial maximization. 1) Safety: The armrest, which can be moved up or down, is required to be down during take off or landing, and a hinge lock keeps the armrest in the down position [1]. This ensures that the armrest does not slam into the passenger in the event of a crash. 2) Material: The material must be highly abrasion resistant, as the armrest is one of the most high-touch surfaces on the plane. Thermoplastic polyurethane is a popular material option for this reason, a type of plastic with abrasion-resistant, UV-resistant, chemical-resistant, and elastic properties [2].&nbsp; 3) Spatial Maximization: The decision to have a single shared armrest between two seats in the economy class is a response to financial pressures to fit more passengers in the aircraft. First class and business class seats rarely have shared armrests, or other such ambiguity about the boundaries of a passenger’s personal space. Effects on Passengers Personal space has been defined as "the emotionally tinged zone around the human body that people feel is their space" where individuals feel a sense of ownership and any intrusion of it leads to feelings of discomfort, stress, and avoidance [3,4]. The armrest problem has come to symbolize the issue of the lack of personal space on the plane, as the most visible part of the much larger problem. The variety of personal space encroachments that passengers undergo can include bodily noise, undesired conversations, undesired gaze, smells, physical contact, and physical proximity. The outsized emotional reaction to armrest intrusion is likely not just about the armrest, but rather the accumulation of physical discomfort created by all of these intrusions. “Terms such as ‘claustrophobia’, ‘cramped’, ‘closed in’, ‘constricted’ and ‘fidgety’ were associated with physical spatial invasions, including use of the shared armrest and outstretched legs.”4 This is further compounded by factors unique to air travel, specifically the increased difficulty in removing oneself from uncomfortable situations, and the increase in the amount of time one may need to tolerate personal space invasions. This creates higher levels of stress about the prospect of direct confrontation. leading many people to employ non-direct coping strategies from dropping hints, passively reclaiming space, to ignoring the issue and distracting oneself [4]. Even in a non-airplane context, it is unusual for people to confront others directly about space intrusions [5]. This may explain the popularity of semi-humorous lists of passive-aggressive strategies to take during “armrest wars”, as people fantasize about how they could have responded in past situations [6].&nbsp; “Since you can't confront your neighbor any more than you can ignore him, you're left with one option: cunning. If your seat partner is violating your personal space, return the favor…subtly. Drop something on the ground near them, and ask them to pick it up. Either they’ll pick it up, removing their arm from the armrest, and you’ll be able to swoop in—or they won’t, and then you’ll know you’re seated next to a sociopath, which seems like a good tidbit to file away”6.&nbsp; Lastly, the presence of physical and situational inequality on airplanes have been shown to increase incidents of outbursts and “air rage” [7]. &nbsp;It is possible that the knowledge that the armrest problem is specific to the economy class, and that passengers in the first class and business class have the luxury of larger and more clearly defined personal space, might increase the likelihood of emotional outbursts and negative feelings. What-Ifs What if armrests were shareable without physical contact? Numerous designers have attempted to solve the so-called “armrest problem”. Soarigami has created a foldable attachment that is placed on the airplane armrest. Soarigami’s attachment provides a barrier and two flat surfaces for the person in the middle seat and the person next to the middle seat. The barrier blocks uncomfortable contact with the person next to you while letting you have an armrest [8]. Another proposed solution, from Paperclip Design, is a double-deckered armrest. Adjacent passengers can share the armrest without uncomfortable contact, as the single armrest loops to create two levels [9]. <img width="266" height="190" width_o="266" height_o="190" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4005d177351fb248af49ad8ca9b22a81cabe488344a6172b7ae252f26d53574b/Paperclip-Design-1.jpg" data-mid="84782690" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/266/i/4005d177351fb248af49ad8ca9b22a81cabe488344a6172b7ae252f26d53574b/Paperclip-Design-1.jpg" /> Paperclip’s double decker armrest design <img width="1800" height="1800" width_o="1800" height_o="1800" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/ae5d21ad639345084ab673f51487f42975b2442a179f984c5a66954929445668/Soaragami--.png" data-mid="84782694" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/ae5d21ad639345084ab673f51487f42975b2442a179f984c5a66954929445668/Soaragami--.png" /> Soarigami’s armrest splitter design What if economy class seats offered more space, with a more defined personal space boundaries? Business and first class seats have more defined personal space boundaries than economy class seats, and this contributes significantly to their passengers’ comfort levels. The middle seat armrest problem only exists because of cabin densification in the economy class. In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, fewer people are traveling altogether and airlines are offering more luxuries and ticket flexibilities to attract more passengers. This may be a rare opportunity for the economy class seating to de-densify. <img width="1800" height="740" width_o="1800" height_o="740" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/c69b78e0b919e2800f7da4d9b8f456e2318b53ea85db586d11b5f726c9fd4ca3/covid-spacing.png" data-mid="84783565" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/c69b78e0b919e2800f7da4d9b8f456e2318b53ea85db586d11b5f726c9fd4ca3/covid-spacing.png" /> De-densified economy class seating due to COVID-19 Ferguson, Keith, and Donald Pinkal. 2012. Aircraft seat with adjustable armrest. US, Europe US8146999B2, EP2292512B1, filed 2009, and issued 2012. BASF Aerospace. n.d. “Aerospace Materials and Technologies Overview.” BASF Aerospace Materials and Technologies. Accessed June 2, 2020. Sommer, Robert. 2002. “Personal Space in a Digital Age.” In Handbook of Environmental Psychology, edited by Robert Bechtel and Arza Churchman, 647–60. John Wiley &amp; Sons, Inc. Lewis, Laura, Harshada Patel, Mirabelle D’Cruz, and Sue Cobb. 2017. “What Makes a Space Invader? Passenger Perceptions of Personal Space Invasion in Aircraft Travel.” Ergonomics 60 (11): 1461–70. Felipe, N.J., and Sommer, R. 1966. "Invasions of Personal Space." in Social Problems 14 (2): 206-214. Skipper, Clay. 2017. “How to Win the Airplane Armrest Battle Once and For All: A Passive Aggressive Struggle as Old as...Planes.” GQ, October 23, 2017. DeCelles, Katherine A., and Michael I. Norton. 2016. “Physical and Situational Inequality on Airplanes Predicts Air Rage.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 113 (20): 5588–91. Ku, Caroline. “Extendable Armrests and Elbow Room for Two - APEX: Airline Passenger Experience.” APEX, April 7, 2016. Davies, Alex. “A Brilliant Double-Decker Armrest That Would Make Flying Less Hellish.” Wired, June 5, 2014. https://airtraveldesign.guide/Artwork Sat, 03 Oct 2020 19:36:19 +0000 Air Travel Design Guide https://airtraveldesign.guide/Artwork Artwork <img width="1635" height="892" width_o="1635" height_o="892" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/12127d0b7b7a4678908021b0121164fb38c994fb80537a3970fe3220c2bd7383/0_Artwork.png" data-mid="84511293" border="0" data-scale="100" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/12127d0b7b7a4678908021b0121164fb38c994fb80537a3970fe3220c2bd7383/0_Artwork.png" /> Public artwork is often deployed to gently encourage passengers to move towards or linger in a space. ︎︎︎ Related entries: &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Departure Hall &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Duty Free Shopping &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Floors &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Maps&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Signage ︎ Random Entry Tags: airport design, wayfinding, consumption,&nbsp; sensory (visual, kinesthesia) &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Design DecisionsAirport planners deploy a range of strategies to guide passenger movement through the complex spatial sequence of airport terminals. Though no two airports are alike, the strategy at most airports can be distilled to one of just a few conceptual approaches, namely districts, connectors, streets and landmarks [1,2].&nbsp;Regardless of the specific wayfinding strategy, a variety of devices can be used to guide passengers through space, including visual media like signage and maps, and architectural features like corridors and escalators. One of the most subtle interventions is the careful placement of public art. In contrast to the direct, explicit communication of signage, artwork can gently encourage passengers to move towards or linger in a space. It can operate as a landmark at multiple scales - often serving as a distinct visual landmark in terminal interiors dominated by text, signs and pictograms, but also an indicator of the airport's geographic location [1,3]. In fact, while artwork often figures prominently in the design of a terminal, it rarely exists for the sake of the work alone.&nbsp; <img width="5084" height="3264" width_o="5084" height_o="3264" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e69b49b93004983702d4e9a31b6af52141c22eb712c18469f071de89f7aa675a/Qatar-Airport-Wikicommons.jpeg" data-mid="84511296" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/e69b49b93004983702d4e9a31b6af52141c22eb712c18469f071de89f7aa675a/Qatar-Airport-Wikicommons.jpeg" /> “Untitled Lamp Bear” by Urs Fischer, in Hamad International Airport in Doha, Qatar&nbsp; <img width="750" height="900" width_o="750" height_o="900" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e367ba8474af65f14cfb22f115813bb99257eb484f761620cafe6bf04808555f/4.jpg" data-mid="84511294" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/750/i/e367ba8474af65f14cfb22f115813bb99257eb484f761620cafe6bf04808555f/4.jpg" /> This bear is prominently displayed in wayfinding maps throughout the airport In Qatar’s Hamad International Airport, Urs Fischer’s 23-foot tall “Untitled Lamp Bear” (previously installed in front of the Seagram Building in New York City) marks the entrance to the airport's duty-free shopping area [4]. In Vancouver’s YVR, planners installed a number of artworks with region-specific themes as navigational aids [5].&nbsp; In each case, the artworks, along with several others exhibited in each airport, figure prominently on wayfinding maps in the airport. Vancouver is notable because airport planners designed the interior of the terminal based on where the artworks would be placed [5]. Effects on Passengers Beyond an aesthetically pleasing visual landmark, artwork can also subtly guide passenger consumption habits. Airport planners “often choose eye-catching artworks to entice passengers to move towards shops and restaurants. However, they also select artworks that convey themes which they believe will stimulate consumption. In many cases, these artworks refer to the region where the airport is located. These objects are suspected to lend to the terminal’s ‘sense of place,’ and airport authorities presume that this manufactured ambiance places passengers in the mood to spend” [5].&nbsp;Though one study found that passengers exhibited a slight preference for terminal designs that did not reflect the distinctiveness of a particular location (in this case Holland, which was conveyed with “an artwork referring to a clog, big cows, and Delft blue tiles”), the artwork in question was not a context-specific work produced by a professional artist, as is typically the case in the real world [6].&nbsp; Hubregtse’s research on airport art has identified kinaesthesia, or awareness of bodily movement, as a theme often found in various works [1,5]. This theme of free, unfettered corporeal motion stands in contrast to the carefully controlled, highly regimented sequence of processing activities that all passengers are required to complete.&nbsp; Peter Adey has argued that this symbolic representation of free movement is designed to operate on an affective level, soothing passengers and by extension encouraging commercial spending&nbsp;[7]. Recent examples include Singapore’s Jewel Changi Airport, which is organized around the Rain Vortex, the world's tallest indoor waterfall and New York’s La Guardia Airport Terminal B, which includes multiple movement-themed works such as Sarah Sze’s “Shorter Than the Day”, an ethereal, mobile globe and Jeppe Hein’s “All Your Wishes,” a collection of 70 steel balloons attached to the ceiling along a sinuous path through the terminals retail area&nbsp;[8,9]. &nbsp; Though its function can take many forms, the subject matter of airport artwork has its limits.&nbsp; Air travel can be a stressful experience for passengers, and airport stakeholders are keen to avoid upsetting passengers as they move through the terminal.&nbsp; For example, in 2004 Denver International Airport (DIA) removed portions of “The Luggage Project” from public view. The work, in which artist Max Yawney invited an international collection of artists to turn 43 suitcases into art, included three suitcases that were deemed “too stressful” for passengers because of the imagery they evoked, such as a handle made from a box cutter, and a suitcase splattered with blood-red paint [10]. Other artwork at DIA has prompted conspiracy theories about a “sinister influence” at the airport, particularly the mural “Children of the World Dream of Peace,” by Leo Tanguma [11]. “Planners... presume that these artworks, which lend to the terminal’s sense of place, will positively affect passengers’ moods and spur them to spend.”[1] <img width="1678" height="1259" width_o="1678" height_o="1259" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1d1f9382edea9727a126ebe86101f4b015ddd6974c2da8993c21423e878d9545/67500_SA_JCA_TimHursley_0994_web_4x3.jpg" data-mid="84511295" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/1d1f9382edea9727a126ebe86101f4b015ddd6974c2da8993c21423e878d9545/67500_SA_JCA_TimHursley_0994_web_4x3.jpg" />Singapore’s Jewel Changi Airport uses the Rain Vortex as both an artwork and as a spatial orientation strategy. (Photo: Safdie Architects) <img width="1200" height="800" width_o="1200" height_o="800" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/9695f673197100fd3e3f581a4f16cc39360d6b056b2f9facfa92f98e0cdeabbc/Sarah-Sze--Shorter-Than-the-Day--2020--installation-view--LaGuardia-Airport--New-York--Sarah-Sze.-Photo--Nicholas-Knight.jpg" data-mid="84716294" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/9695f673197100fd3e3f581a4f16cc39360d6b056b2f9facfa92f98e0cdeabbc/Sarah-Sze--Shorter-Than-the-Day--2020--installation-view--LaGuardia-Airport--New-York--Sarah-Sze.-Photo--Nicholas-Knight.jpg" />Sarah Sze’s Shorter Than The Day installation at LaGuardia Airport (Photo: Nicholas Knight) <img width="500" height="620" width_o="500" height_o="620" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/95ea5fbcc03c240bb03a1d8857b11d2556d22da1e7ba39ae10e34e7d56db35a5/Jeppen-Hein_All-Your-Wishes_2.jpeg" data-mid="84716298" border="0" data-scale="52" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/500/i/95ea5fbcc03c240bb03a1d8857b11d2556d22da1e7ba39ae10e34e7d56db35a5/Jeppen-Hein_All-Your-Wishes_2.jpeg" />&nbsp;<img width="773" height="1160" width_o="773" height_o="1160" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/94230c8d77a270024bc57ed05cab425ffca404a4297e8aa86f346eb4ed5f9984/Jeppen-Hein_All-Your-Wishes_1.jpeg" data-mid="84716300" border="0" data-scale="43" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/773/i/94230c8d77a270024bc57ed05cab425ffca404a4297e8aa86f346eb4ed5f9984/Jeppen-Hein_All-Your-Wishes_1.jpeg" />Jeppe Hein’s “All Your Wishes” installation at LaGuardia Airport (Photo: Nicholas Knight) Hubregtse, Menno. 2016. “Passenger Movement and Air Terminal Design: Artworks, Wayfinding, Commerce, and Kinaesthesia.” Interiors 7 (2–3): 155–179.&nbsp; Gibson, David. Wayfinding Handbook: Information Design for Public Places. Princeton Architectural Press, 2009. Rowley, Jennifer, and Frances Slack. “The Retail Experience in Airport Departure Lounges: Reaching for Timelessness and Placelessness.” International Marketing Review, vol. 16, no. 4/5, 1999, pp. 363–376. Tuchman, Phyllis. “City as Sculpture Park: In Doha, Public Art Program Reanimates the Tried and True.” 10 June 2019. ArtNews. Hubregtse, Menno. Wayfinding, Consumption, and Air Terminal Design. 1st ed., Routledge, 2020.&nbsp; van Oel, Clarine J., and F. W. (Derk) van den Berkhof. “Consumer Preferences in the Design of Airport Passenger Areas.” Journal of Environmental Psychology, vol. 36, Dec. 2013, pp. 280–90. ScienceDirect, doi:10.1016/j.jenvp.2013.08.005. Adey, Peter. “Airports, Mobility and the Calculative Architecture of Affective Control.” Geoforum, vol. 39, no. 1, Jan. 2008, pp. 438–51.&nbsp; Safdie Architects. “Jewel Changi Airport.” www.safdiearchitects.com. Accessed 17 June 2020. Sheets, Hilarie. “Art That Might Make You Want to Go to La Guardia.” The New York Times. Accessed 17 June 2020. “Artwork Removed from Denver Airport.” Airline Industry Information, Normans Media Ltd, 2004. “The Definitive Guide to Denver International Airport’s Biggest Conspiracy Theories.” The Denver Post, 31 Oct. 2016.. https://airtraveldesign.guide/Bag-Tag Sat, 03 Oct 2020 19:36:11 +0000 Air Travel Design Guide https://airtraveldesign.guide/Bag-Tag Bag Tag <img width="1060" height="1602" width_o="1060" height_o="1602" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/679c732aec117472ad8042b13c602eb1ca60456d3514aead02878b206139630c/0_Bag-Tag-copy.png" data-mid="84511495" border="0" data-scale="63" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/679c732aec117472ad8042b13c602eb1ca60456d3514aead02878b206139630c/0_Bag-Tag-copy.png" /> Current bag tag system contributes significantly to the amount of time passengers wait in line at the airport. ︎︎︎ Related entries: &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Luggage &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Full Body Scanner &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Passport &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Safety ︎ Random Entry Tags: systems design, security, sorting, waiting time, technology &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Design Decisions Baggage handling systems commonly use reinforced paper baggage tags to know where a passenger’s luggage is in the airport, and to determine its intended destination. Using barcodes or RFID chips, these tags identify the luggage with its owner, the flights, and final destination, and even the class of service to indicate priority. This helps airports and carriers identify and trace a specific bag that has gone astray, and help the passengers prove the identity of their bags among other similar bags. After the bombing of Air India plane in 1985, the airline industry developed a standardized baggage tags system as a security measure and required that bags were matched with their passengers before being loaded onto the plane. This was developed to ensure that terrorists do not check their bags with explosive material onto a flight without actually boarding it themselves [1]. <img width="1290" height="1158" width_o="1290" height_o="1158" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/62e571ae1a07713bae11e3cf1f8efd193f70a1fa726dc5ddc6af80e2ee995ff9/Bag-tag-US4634849-1.png" data-mid="84511503" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/62e571ae1a07713bae11e3cf1f8efd193f70a1fa726dc5ddc6af80e2ee995ff9/Bag-tag-US4634849-1.png" /><img width="2123" height="1344" width_o="2123" height_o="1344" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/8ad2b07be902b9ffdd84b8543278b171efaebb7781e857c2661c10c2f570f959/Bag-tag-US4634849-1-copy.png" data-mid="84511667" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/8ad2b07be902b9ffdd84b8543278b171efaebb7781e857c2661c10c2f570f959/Bag-tag-US4634849-1-copy.png" /> Patent for a baggage tag system from 1987, designed and filed soon after the 1985 bombing Effects on Passengers A major consequence of the baggage tag system as it exists today is that it contributes significantly to the amount of time passengers wait in line at the airport. In anticipation of this waiting time, people develop a variety of strategies. One such tactic is using carry-on bags rather than checked luggage, so that there is no need to wait in line to check and tag a bag. Another tactic is to arrive several hours in advance of flight time. What-Ifs What if there was no need to wait in long lines to check a bag? Similarly to the concept of mobile check-in for passengers, the luggage could be electronically checked-in long before even leaving the home or the hotel. Companies such as BAGTAG, and ViewTag have been pioneering in this sector. Instead of attaching a paper tag, these designs attach a small electronic screen on the luggage that can display the barcode information, and be reused and updated for any subsequent flights [2, 3].&nbsp; <img width="768" height="403" width_o="768" height_o="403" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/97deb808ca3dbeb0f7d73ea6bc347f13d00669e36f8d67218c5b1a467b0ecb85/bagtag-lufthansa-launch.jpg" data-mid="84511500" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/768/i/97deb808ca3dbeb0f7d73ea6bc347f13d00669e36f8d67218c5b1a467b0ecb85/bagtag-lufthansa-launch.jpg" /> BAGTAG attached on a luggage, which can be reused and updated for any upcoming flights. What if bags were tracked similarly to package delivery tracking? Korean Air has created an app where notifications are sent to the passengers’ phone that informs them when their bag is loaded onto the airplane. The app provides a specific barcode to match to one’s bag so there is little chance of a mix-up when claiming a bag [4]. What if bags are tagged for sanitation? Bags are in contact with multiple hands and surfaces which makes them susceptible for contamination. Airlines are considering adding a sanitation step when bags are dropped off at the check-in counter. The bags would be sanitized under UV lights and tagged for sanitation before they go through the security process and loaded onto the plane [5]. <img width="1920" height="984" width_o="1920" height_o="984" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/6f3c220a2a5da9655d4210f66296b3b52ec23402ba9c50e727ff7767fd65efef/Bag-tag_Smart-Device-Programmable-Electronic-US20160183653A1-20160630-D00003.png" data-mid="84511499" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/6f3c220a2a5da9655d4210f66296b3b52ec23402ba9c50e727ff7767fd65efef/Bag-tag_Smart-Device-Programmable-Electronic-US20160183653A1-20160630-D00003.png" /><img width="2705" height="1646" width_o="2705" height_o="1646" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/a7bddbd83adaf2346774a1a6001000a71d06f2775318c791b668c2ff3381c497/Bag-tag_Smart-Device-Programmable-Electronic-US20160183653A1-20160630-D00005.png" data-mid="84511501" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/a7bddbd83adaf2346774a1a6001000a71d06f2775318c791b668c2ff3381c497/Bag-tag_Smart-Device-Programmable-Electronic-US20160183653A1-20160630-D00005.png" /> Patent filing for ViewTag, a smart programmable electronic bag tag (2016) Adey, Peter. 2003. “Secured and Sorted Mobilities: Examples from the Airport.” Surveillance &amp; Society 1 (4). “BAGTAG.” BAGTAG. Accessed September 31, 2019. “Lufthansa Group Rolls out Electronic Bag Tags with BAGTAG Partnership.” Future Travel Experience, January 9, 2018.&nbsp; Loh, Chris. “Korean Air Will Now Alert You If Your Baggage Made The Flight.” Simple Flying, June 2, 2020.&nbsp; Dreimane, Baiba. “The Rise of Sanitised Travel: Expect Your Bags to Be ‘Sanitagged.’” SimpliFlying, May 12, 2020.&nbsp; https://airtraveldesign.guide/Borders Sat, 03 Oct 2020 19:36:28 +0000 Air Travel Design Guide https://airtraveldesign.guide/Borders Borders <img width="1890" height="1019" width_o="1890" height_o="1019" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/afd63d5031ae7bea2e7db215f52b61aab81016685499e6a6bbfe2329a99f5351/0_Borders.png" data-mid="84511717" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/afd63d5031ae7bea2e7db215f52b61aab81016685499e6a6bbfe2329a99f5351/0_Borders.png" /> An airport functions as a national frontier… in the middle of a country.1&nbsp; ︎︎︎ Related entries: &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Non-Place &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Passport &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Customs Declaration&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Safety ︎ Random Entry Tags: boundaries, security, directionality, social contract &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; Design Decisions International airports function in a similar way to physical boundaries between nations.&nbsp; They are “border zones to the vertical vectors of mobility that cross national and state boundaries… regulating the movement of people that enter and leave” [2]. These boundaries can take many forms, as expressed in the following excerpt from Victor Márquez’s book Landside/Airside: Why Airports Are the Way They Are: “Landside-airside boundaries are socio-technical objects that are often materialized physically as a line or a fence, or as an artifact such as a net, chain, or queue divider; they sometimes appear as a wall, as signage, or as a glass panel. They also shape as scanners, or ID documents, or metal detectors. These boundaries may also take non-material shapes such as routines, procedures, jurisdictional limits, the containment or “segregation” of passengers, or control demarcations of higher entities such as agencies, customs, or an assortment of police divisions. Boundaries may even be embodied in the psychological emotions such as the public perception of fear, scrutiny, or the invasion of privacy. But they are all socio-technical objects that have as their ultimate purpose the enforcement of the separation of entities, mainly between the realm of aircraft and the realm of persons” [3]. Effects on Passengers In the context of airports, borders are designed specifically to construct and channel the passenger experience. Most airports carefully direct passengers through a fixed, linear sequence of spaces from their arrival at the airport until they reach their departure gate.&nbsp; “Thus, passengers follow the usual procedures of checking-in, going through security control, waiting in departure lounge, going to gate, waiting in gate, boarding plane. Between these processing sites, corridors and walls are constructed to limit possibilities” [2]. Once passengers pass security and immigration, they enter the state of liminality, being legally outside the country while still physically in the airport.&nbsp; Various strategies have been deployed to control the physical manifestations of borders at the airport. Borders have the capacity to be at once strongly defined, but also mutable and ephemeral. One of the most common features identified in the literature are moveable partition systems, allowing for the creation and definition of spaces to serve specific needs. For example, a recently completed expansion of Ottawa Airport includes a system of partitions that facilitate adjustment of the number of domestic and international gates simply by moving the separation of the two types of traffic [4]. Pascoe, David. Airspaces. Reaktion, 2001. Adey, Peter. “Secured and Sorted Mobilities: Examples from the Airport.” Surveillance &amp; Society, vol. 1, no. 4, 2003.&nbsp; Márquez, Victor. Landside/Airside: Why Airports Are the Way They Are. Palgrave Macmillan, 2019. Shuchi, Sarah, et al. “Flexible Airport Terminal Design: Towards a Framework.” Proceedings of the IIE Asian Conference, 2012, pp. 348–56. https://airtraveldesign.guide/Cabin-Divider Sat, 03 Oct 2020 15:29:56 +0000 Air Travel Design Guide https://airtraveldesign.guide/Cabin-Divider Cabin Divider <img width="1229" height="1311" width_o="1229" height_o="1311" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7e9f7d9145e44b4db6d05e7c87a4cbb758715f42e6652c4501fcbf4fa04171dd/0_Cabin-Divider.png" data-mid="84496044" border="0" data-scale="75" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/7e9f7d9145e44b4db6d05e7c87a4cbb758715f42e6652c4501fcbf4fa04171dd/0_Cabin-Divider.png" /> Studies have shown that class-based divisions on the plane, manifested physically by the cabin divider,&nbsp; can lead to an increase in air rage. ︎︎︎ Related entries: &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Airplane Seats&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Armrest &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Comfort &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;PAX ︎ Random Entry Tags: airplane interior, psychology, materials, spatial configuration, sensory (visual, acoustic) &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Design Decisions Cabin dividers help separate passenger zones in the aircraft cabin between the first, business, and economy classes. Cabin dividers can be curtains, solid thermoplastic barriers, or a combination of galleys and curtains. Cabin dividers’ role as separators between passenger classes came about after the end of World War II when a few US airlines began to offer Economy class seats for the first time. Until then, air travel was by default exclusive to the affluent and the famous. One of the earliest formalized “sorting” systems of passengers was in the early 1930s [1]. Britain’s Imperial Airways introduced two service classes on its London-Paris route analogous to today’s Business and First class, “so that the famous and influential might have an opportunity to avoid the company of their social inferiors” [2]. From 1939 to 1945, most commercial flying was suspended due to World War II. When it returned after 1945, progressive reform policies in the US incentivized airlines to offer cheaper economy seats. Thus, “In order to physically and psychologically separate the high-yielding full-fare passengers from those in economy, cabin dividers and curtains were employed” [1]. By the 1970s, the three cabin classes that are customary today, first, business, and economy, became standard practice. <img width="2939" height="2050" width_o="2939" height_o="2050" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/662ee65f4a517472b609fe5fb429c371a2e34927177208bf04d82ae428be9321/Cabin-divider-US5393013-drawings-page-2.png" data-mid="84717054" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/662ee65f4a517472b609fe5fb429c371a2e34927177208bf04d82ae428be9321/Cabin-divider-US5393013-drawings-page-2.png" /><img width="1529" height="738" width_o="1529" height_o="738" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4f8373d943a1f6d3115859961ede7dcd48fa6515775db637df4019d897738eea/Cabin-divider-US08550143-20131008-D00000.png" data-mid="84717056" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/4f8373d943a1f6d3115859961ede7dcd48fa6515775db637df4019d897738eea/Cabin-divider-US08550143-20131008-D00000.png" /> Cabin divider patent filings (1991, 2013). Cabin dividers primarily serve as acoustic, visual, and psychological privacy barriers between the passenger classes. Studies have shown that they assist with lowering noise levels and softening sounds in the cabin, and designers have developed various product lines of sound-absorbing fabric, with an opaque inlay that prevents galley lights from disturbing passengers at night. Sound-absorbing curtains can cut down up to 18 to 53 db depending on frequency of the sound [3]. Additionally, cabin dividers must satisfy a vast amount of functional and material criteria. Like all airplane components, they must be lightweight, occupy a minimal amount of space, and be flame retardant in the event of an accident. Thermoplastic cabin dividers are sometimes integrated with a jump seat, a foldable seat used by flight crew, and can be transformed to accommodate a stretcher in the event of a medical emergency. TSA regulations require that curtains are open during taxi and takeoff, in order to allow flight attendants and passengers a clear view of the whole cabin in the event of an emergency.<img width="3220" height="2375" width_o="3220" height_o="2375" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/4262a3a2d9779d959f5532a6948746496255e55c66ee950d211b37553e074ec0/Cabin-divider-US08814089-20140826-D00000.png" data-mid="84717132" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/4262a3a2d9779d959f5532a6948746496255e55c66ee950d211b37553e074ec0/Cabin-divider-US08814089-20140826-D00000.png" /> Cabin divider patent filings (2014). Effects on Passengers A cabin dividers, be it curtains, thermoplastic structures, or galleys, function as acoustic, visual, and psychological privacy barriers. Acoustically, softening the ambient noise level in the cabin assists with lowering passenger environmental discomfort. There is evidence that constant exposure to loud noises causes an accumulation of cortisol, the stress hormone, in the blood [4], which contributes to one’s inability to control one’s mood, motivation, and fear. Moderating loud or irregular ambient aircraft cabin noise is a useful feature of the cabin divider. “The sense of hearing - ten times more sensitive than the eye in humans as well - is the most decisive warning and communications organ. This is why it remains open to the environment day and night, and is unable to deny access to sound stimuli in the same way as the eye with its lids closed against impinging light. This is the reason why sounds from the environment are constantly picked up, whether awake or asleep, and trigger massive stimulation of the processing sections of the brain...Noise effects are not only experienced as disturbing, irritating or stressful, but may also be associated with after-effects in terms of health” [4].In a study conducted in a simulated aircraft, an increase in noise level was shown to have a significant impact on feeling more depressed, grouchy, irritated, anxious and nervous [5]. In addition, noise level not only impacted one’s feelings of acoustic discomfort, but also increased awareness of other non-acoustic aspects impairing comfort, such as swollen feet, headaches, and tiredness [6]. It is important to note that the studies do not imply that the quieter the more comfortable. In a field study on a train, a level of “monotonous” noise was appreciated by passengers for masking other sounds [7]. Cabin dividers also serve as psychological privacy barriers between passenger classes. it remains more ambiguous whether cabin dividers are beneficial or detrimental. “The curtains that hang between service classes also operate as screens, permeable for the flight attendants, but not for the passengers, and shielding groups of passengers from fully realizing their differences as well as their similarities” [8].&nbsp; It may be that cabin dividers function as symbols of the socioeconomic divide between first class, business, and economy passengers. Studies have shown that this class-based division, manifested physically by the cabin divider, can increase conflict between passengers and incidents of “air rage”. More specifically: “Physical inequality on airplanes—that is, the presence of a first class cabin—is associated with more frequent air rage incidents in economy class. Situational inequality—boarding from the front (requiring walking through the first class cabin) versus the middle of the plane—also significantly increases the odds of air rage in both economy and first class” [9]. It remains to be seen whether cabin dividers help or hurt in exacerbating antisocial behavior arising from situational inequality. One point of note is that the study demonstrated an increase in antisocial behavior in both economy and first class, with “emotional outbursts” more commonly taking place among economy class, and “belligerent behavior” occurring more commonly among the first class. Do the presence of cabin dividers highlight the situational inequality of the class-based sorting of passengers, or do they make the inequality less visible? Or, by making it less visible, does the presence of the cabin divider give first and business classes an air of exclusivity that exacerbates antisocial feelings among all classes? What-Ifs What if we reconsidered the way passengers are divided within the aircraft cabin? Instead of dividing the passengers by economic class, the cabin could be divided by usage types. These usage types might be family lounging, computer work, gaming, and sleeping. Machine learning could be used to help optimize the seating configuration, so that more convivial activities like family lounging and gaming would be adjacent, and quieter activities such as work and sleeping could be paired elsewhere. The aircraft cabin and seating could be redesigned to better suit those activities. Airspace Cabin Vision 2030 video gives several examples of such cabin redesign [10].&nbsp;<img width="1617" height="1230" width_o="1617" height_o="1230" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/e2d86896dab1e8b2d2f4d625c2d405bb9d1da81d14eea1b463c853951c4c9dda/Airbus_business.png" data-mid="84716898" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/e2d86896dab1e8b2d2f4d625c2d405bb9d1da81d14eea1b463c853951c4c9dda/Airbus_business.png" /><img width="1750" height="1169" width_o="1750" height_o="1169" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/fac5aa61015f8a33a404372b8e0b84698c623e3a260741ab65966545e6fefbb2/Airbus_family.png" data-mid="84716902" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/fac5aa61015f8a33a404372b8e0b84698c623e3a260741ab65966545e6fefbb2/Airbus_family.png" /><img width="1716" height="1010" width_o="1716" height_o="1010" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/6571d278ef875b6132e2883d8a969922b2e9e97f83b2312912841151b3cc8ced/Airbus_sleeping.png" data-mid="84716904" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/6571d278ef875b6132e2883d8a969922b2e9e97f83b2312912841151b3cc8ced/Airbus_sleeping.png" /> Cabin reconfiguration schemes for different usage types, adapted from Airspace Cabin Vision 2030 What if there were cabins for families with small children? Sounds of crying babies are common sources of acoustical discomfort for many passengers. An area of the cabin can be dedicated to young families traveling with children, with sound-absorbent material integrated into cabin dividers, seating, or flooring. This would provide a noise buffer and a degree of privacy for those families and other passengers. What if the lower cargo hold deck could contain common spaces for passengers? Airbus and Safran’s “Lower Deck Pax Experience Modules” proposes a system that uses the cargo hold to include modules for beds, areas for stretching, playground, or meeting spaces. Passengers in the main airplane cabin would have access to this lower deck for these various uses. These modules would fit inside existing aircraft cargo compartments. Multiple passenger modules would be designed in order to fit into the plane interchangeably and the baggage would be stored below or above the module [11, 12]. What if cabin dividers were created out of other materials to optimize weight and reconfigurability? Installing solid fixed walls into airplanes takes up space and adds weight to the plane, but several sturdy cabin dividers may be necessary to hold jump seats for the crew. Autodesk’s lightweight, 3d-printed latticed structure that acts as a cabin divider may be one solution [13]. The resulting divider is lighter, stronger, and more easily replicated than traditional fixed walls in current planes. <img width="1991" height="1661" width_o="1991" height_o="1661" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/0dd8c6180952287db9db946305a51d82d17cbbedd109ca8843946a36440b83b6/The-Living-bionic-partition.jpg" data-mid="84717037" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/0dd8c6180952287db9db946305a51d82d17cbbedd109ca8843946a36440b83b6/The-Living-bionic-partition.jpg" /> Autodesk’s 3d-printed cabin divider structure Budd, Lucy. 2016. “Flights of Indulgence (or How the Very Wealthy Fly): The Aeromobile Patterns and Practices of the Super-Rich.” In Handbook on Wealth and the Super-Rich, 302-321. Edward Elgar Publishing Hudson K. and J. Pettifer (1979), Diamonds in the Sky: A Social History of Air Travel, London: Bodley Head.&nbsp; Lantal Textiles. n.d. “Ready-to-Install Products: Sound-Absorbing Curtain.” Product Information. Spreng, M. 2004. “Noise Induced Nocturnal Cortisol Secretion and Tolerable Overhead Flights.” Noise &amp; Health 6 (22): 35–47.Pennig, Sibylle, Julia Quehl, and Vinzent Rolny. 2012. “Effects of Aircraft Cabin Noise on Passenger Comfort.” Ergonomics 55 (10): 1252–65.Mellert, V., Baumann, I., Freese, N., and Weber, R., 2008. “Impact of sound and vibration on health, travel comfort and&nbsp;performance of flight attendants and pilots.” Aerospace Science and Technology, 12, 18–25.Khan, S.M., 2003. “Effects of masking sound on train passengers aboard activities and on other interior annoying noises”. Acta&nbsp;Acustica, 89, 711–717. Groening, Stephen. 2013. “Aerial Screens.” History and Technology 29 (3): 284–303.DeCelles, Katherine A., and Michael I. Norton. 2016. “Physical and Situational Inequality on Airplanes Predicts Air Rage.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 113 (20): 5588–91.Airbus. 2019. Airspace Cabin Vision 2030. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=loWML-pIsaU.Airbus. 2019. “Airbus and Safran Win Crystal Cabin Award with Lower Deck Pax Experience Modules.” Press Release. April, 2019.Walton, John. “Airbus-Safran Lower Deck Pax Experience Modules in Firm Development.” Runway Girl Network, April 18, 2019. “Generative Design at Airbus | Customer Stories | Autodesk.” n.d. Accessed November 3, 2019. https://airtraveldesign.guide/Check-In-Counter Sat, 03 Oct 2020 19:36:39 +0000 Air Travel Design Guide https://airtraveldesign.guide/Check-In-Counter Check-In Counter <img width="1907" height="1586" width_o="1907" height_o="1586" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/21c46a3319f0cac43fd135e3bfe96c129733eb76868d77017e460342df5151e1/0_Check-In-Counter.png" data-mid="84511936" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/21c46a3319f0cac43fd135e3bfe96c129733eb76868d77017e460342df5151e1/0_Check-In-Counter.png" /> Airport check-in counters evolved from physical in-person counters to digital self-service kiosks, but now many seek to bring the human touch back into the check-in experience. ︎︎︎ Related entries: &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Queues &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Bag Tag&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Luggage &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Time ︎ Random Entry Tags: airport design, sorting, psychology, waiting time &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Design Decisions A passenger’s first procedure upon entering an airport is most likely at the check-in counter, where their tickets and reservations are accepted, check-in bags taken, boarding passes printed, and special travel accommodations arranged. Historically, check-in counters were staffed with human agents behind tables ready to assist travelers with their individual needs. As the number of fliers rose over the years, queues to these check-in counters grew out of hand, and airlines began to adopt online check-in options, or digital kiosks. Online and digital kiosk check-in allowed passengers to bypass queues. <img width="1408" height="1267" width_o="1408" height_o="1267" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/1213c1cf5a329f793973db43359268263d529a3c88fe73db76eec9551988a5e4/Check-in-passport-kiosk-00930001.png" data-mid="84511938" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/1213c1cf5a329f793973db43359268263d529a3c88fe73db76eec9551988a5e4/Check-in-passport-kiosk-00930001.png" />Patent for touch screen check-in kiosk However, in response to complaints about usability and customer service, numerous airlines have sought to bring the human touch back into the check-in experience, such as Delta Airlines’s “Red Coats” program [1]. These human agents do not displace the automatic kiosks but instead work alongside them to provide technology assistance as well as addressing any special needs. Effects on Passengers <img width="1280" height="688" width_o="1280" height_o="688" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/471a7d16d802870ef6779b346d4828d6ce07959a07d47aea763456f492b47523/MeettheParents.jpg" data-mid="84511940" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/471a7d16d802870ef6779b346d4828d6ce07959a07d47aea763456f492b47523/MeettheParents.jpg" />Scene from “Meet the Parents”: The main character becomes exasperated by an airline representative who declines to help him. The scene highlights how the physical separation of by the counter contributes to the hierarchy. Websites, mobile apps, and self-service kiosks have expanded the number of available touchpoints for passengers to complete the check-in process, allowing passengers without special requirements to move quickly through the process and giving passengers with special needs the ability to receive assistance with priority. The decision to move human agents out from behind the counter to alongside the passengers at these kiosks has also changed the relationship between passengers and representatives of an airline. There is a lower chance for aggression to develop when the person helping the passenger is next to the passenger rather than across and separated by a physical counter [2]. <img width="1024" height="615" width_o="1024" height_o="615" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/7810b149e98e2a983877313b6a641effc4a1391c8ea58b14d5c2b523db5a9005/computersaysno_littlebritain.jpg" data-mid="84511939" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/7810b149e98e2a983877313b6a641effc4a1391c8ea58b14d5c2b523db5a9005/computersaysno_littlebritain.jpg" /> Scene from “Computer says No!” by Little Britain:&nbsp;The main character, a travel agent in this scene, always responds to a customer’s enquiry by responding with “Computer says No” to even the most reasonable of requests. The customer is left unable to dispute it, because of their inability to see the computer screen themselves. What-Ifs What if check-in counters were replaced with biometric scanners? Some airlines are starting to experiment with biometric and facial recognition scanners that allow for passengers to board planes without a passport or form of identification [3]. People may check-in online, drop off their checked-in luggage, walk up to security, and look at a camera. After two seconds, the camera confirms the passenger’s identity and allows them access to enter the airport waiting area. Delta has implemented a facial recognition system in JFK airport which scans people prior to boarding. Privacy issues may be a concern with this new technology, as passengers are not in control of the information being given or handled by the controlling parties. What if there was a way to share resources among airline companies? The airport lobby is often filled with passengers and long queues, and hall allocation is typically not organized in the most effective use of space. Pooling collective resources among airline companies and having a single point of check-in may reduce the amount of stress experienced by the passengers [4]. Implementing a common-use self-check and baggage drop off system would improve the use of existing spatial capacity. Companies have already developed a block-chain system that allows passengers to scan their ticket and print a unique baggage tag for their respective airline. By sharing this resource, airports would also be able to defer expansion investments when new airlines are added. Peterson, Barbara S. 2009. “Putting Some Personal Contact Back Into Flying.” The New York Times, July 27, 2009, sec. Business Day. Gladwell, Malcolm, and Paco Underhill. n.d. “New Yorker Conference: Deconstructing the Airport.” The New Yorker Videos. Accessed August 30, 2019. Stewart, J. (2018, November 21). “Creepy or Not, Face Scans Are Speeding up Airport Security.” Retrieved June 13, 2020. V. (2019, March 27). “Reinventing the airport check-in experience”. Interional Airport Review. Retrieved June 13, 2020. https://airtraveldesign.guide/Comfort Mon, 05 Oct 2020 17:24:44 +0000 Air Travel Design Guide https://airtraveldesign.guide/Comfort Comfort <img width="1553" height="1097" width_o="1553" height_o="1097" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/2d80a2b89de61a37d418e0e6d2f345ad024929ac36d8f5878e4b48ebad9d8937/0_Comfort-v2.png" data-mid="84677578" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/2d80a2b89de61a37d418e0e6d2f345ad024929ac36d8f5878e4b48ebad9d8937/0_Comfort-v2.png" /> "Comfort is not simply the absence of discomfort, and indeed both can occur at the same time.” 2 ︎︎︎ Related entries: &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Airplane Seat &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Armrest &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Jet Lag &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Jetiquette ︎ Random Entry Tags: experience, proxemics, sensory (visual, acoustic, thermal), psychology &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Though related, perceptions of comfort and discomfort can be understood as independent entities that are associated with different factors [1, 2]. Vink, et al. explains the following inputs as factors influencing human comfort and discomfort: history, state of mind, visual input, environmental factors (e.g. smell, noise, temperature and humidity), pressure distribution, and posture and movements [3]. <img width="1457" height="1431" width_o="1457" height_o="1431" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/6bf50a9c7a179c95f0ec4d451656822b3a3b50e636f636cb2be17f9cbe6c73c1/Armrest-widener-US20090315381A1-20091224-D00000.png" data-mid="84677737" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/6bf50a9c7a179c95f0ec4d451656822b3a3b50e636f636cb2be17f9cbe6c73c1/Armrest-widener-US20090315381A1-20091224-D00000.png" />The armrest, and the ambiguity of who gets to use it, is a commonly noted source of discomfort. Some passengers go as far to bring onto the plane an armrest widening product to combat this discomfort. In the context of seat design, for example, discomfort is related to biomechanical fatigue while comfort is more associated with aesthetics and a general feeling of well-being [2]. In fact, people have difficulty distinguishing between seats of different ergonomics quality, due to the body’s poor sensory feedback capabilities from ligaments, joints, and the spine, but will easily perceive and differentiate aesthetic features relating to comfort and relaxation [4]. In that end, passenger perception may be more influenced by aesthetics and appearance of comfortable features than the specific ergonomic factors of the seat design.&nbsp; Passenger experiences can range from extreme comfort to extreme discomfort. The overall well-being of the passenger is influenced by physiological and psychological factors [5]. Some examples of physiological factors include sensory and environmental conditions (e.g. thermal, lighting, acoustic environment, etc.); psychological factors include concerns of crowding, speed of processing, security, and privacy [1]. Studies evaluating the passenger experience in the airport [6] and the aircraft cabin [7, 8. 9] have developed questionnaires to quantify passenger preferences, and mapping systems that classify and weigh the various factors against one another. In the airport, psychological comfort was strongly influenced by attributes such as seating, crowding, speed of processing in queues, and anxieties surrounding security and passage of time. Among environmental factors, thermal conditions ranked as one of the most important parameters of indoor physiological comfort, followed closely by lighting conditions, and then acoustic environment, air quality, and humidity levels [6]. Because of the nature of air travel, where outdoor temperatures dictate clothing levels worn indoors, and passengers may be going to or from vastly different weather conditions, thermal comfort proved difficult to achieve by following typical architectural guidelines for indoor spaces. Thermal condition is one of those factors which contribute greatly to discomfort, but less so to comfort; Thermal comfort is extremely important until it is satisfied, and then it is completely forgotten and not prioritized [2]. In the aircraft cabin, passenger surveys have specifically highlighted proximity to neighbors, perception of hygiene, and crew attention as key psychological factors determining one’s comfort [7, 10]. In particular, invasion of personal space is a critical source of discomfort for aircraft passengers. While many of these invasions often take the form of physical encroachments, other types of sensory factors, including smells, noise or eye contact contribute to the accumulation of discomfort [11]. <img width="1781" height="1093" width_o="1781" height_o="1093" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/01e697117da2cc8ab202b9114c2a0b065f8a0014efe99d99f6e3bec34f2926db/10.png" data-mid="84677579" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/01e697117da2cc8ab202b9114c2a0b065f8a0014efe99d99f6e3bec34f2926db/10.png" />Having individual control over one’s environmental factors (e.g. lighting), independently from one’s seatmates, contributes to one’s sense of comfort. &nbsp; <img width="2074" height="2717" width_o="2074" height_o="2717" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/16622feb64a5de450b7c5b294c3c9ecf826e7a8ad54624bb01a7ecb111569559/Airplane-seat-usage-like-couch-US20150203207A1-20150723-D00007.png" data-mid="84677580" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/16622feb64a5de450b7c5b294c3c9ecf826e7a8ad54624bb01a7ecb111569559/Airplane-seat-usage-like-couch-US20150203207A1-20150723-D00007.png" /><img width="1885" height="2611" width_o="1885" height_o="2611" data-src="https://freight.cargo.site/t/original/i/76574f452cfef551ccdd888044ee229bc04355d7efe9791e351a733445a8e67b/Airplane-seat-usage-like-couch-US20150203207A1-20150723-D00008.png" data-mid="84677884" border="0" src="https://freight.cargo.site/w/1000/i/76574f452cfef551ccdd888044ee229bc04355d7efe9791e351a733445a8e67b/Airplane-seat-usage-like-couch-US20150203207A1-20150723-D00008.png" /> Using inspiration from how families use a couch at home, these diagrams imagine how triple seating in airplanes could be used by a family to maximize comfort. Ahmadpour, Naseem, Jean-Marc Robert, and Gitte Lindgaard. 2016. “Aircraft Passenger Comfort Experience: Underlying Factors and Differentiation from Discomfort.” Applied Ergonomics 52 (January): 301–8.Helander, M., and L Zhang. 1997. “Field Studies of Comfort and Discomfort in Sitting.” Ergonomics 40 (9): 895–915.&nbsp; Vink, P., C. Bazley, I. Kamp, and M. Blok. 2012. “Possibilities to Improve the Aircraft Interior Comfort Experience.” Applied Ergonomics 43 (2): 354–59. Helander, Martin G. 2003. “Forget about Ergonomics in Chair Design? Focus on Aesthetics and Comfort!” Ergonomics 46 (13–14): 1306–19. Kremser, F., F. Guenzkofer, C. Sedlmeier, O. Sabbah, and K. Bengler. 2012. “Aircraft Seating Comfort: The Influence of Seat Pitch on Passengers’ Well-Being.” Work (Reading, Mass.) 41 Suppl 1: 4936–42 Kotopouleas, A, and M. Nikolopoulou. 2018. “Evaluation of Comfort Conditions in Airport Terminal Buildings.” Building and Environment 130 (February): 162–78.Tao, Xinyi, Siyu Ren, and Ting Han. 2018. “Mapping System Between Passenger Experience and the Factors of Aircraft Cabin Design.” In Digital Human Modeling. Applications in Health, Safety, Ergonomics, and Risk Management, edited by Vincent G. Duffy, 10917:109–25. Cham: Springer International Publishing. Jia, Susu, Dayi Lai, Jian Kang, Jiayu Li, and Junjie Liu. 2018. “Evaluation of Relative Weights for Temperature, CO2, and Noise in the Aircraft Cabin Environment.” Building and Environment, no. 131: 108–16. Pennig, Sibylle, Julia Quehl, and Vinzent Rolny. 2012. “Effects of Aircraft Cabin Noise on Passenger Comfort.” Ergonomics 55 (10): 1252–65. Vink, Peter. 19. Aircraft Interior Comfort and Design. 1st ed. Ergonomics Design &amp; Mgmt. Theory &amp; Applications. CRC Press. Lewis, L, H. Patel, M. D’Cruz, and S. Cobb. 2017. “What Makes a Space Invader? Passenger Perceptions of Personal Space Invasion in Aircraft Travel.” Ergonomics 60 (11): 1461–70.