While this may be the golden age of aviation in terms of premium cabin seat comfort, innovation has lagged and arguably regressed in economy class, with premium economy seats not much more comfortable than what used to be standard for all economy class passengers. But a new lie-flat, double-deck seating concept has the potential to transform the premium economy experience.
Double-Deck Zephyr Seats Promise Lie-Flat Option In Premium Economy Class
First introduced in 2018, aircraft seat manufacturer Zephyr Aerospace has released a prototype that would not only offer a lie-flat seat in premium economy class (we’ve seen those concepts before…Air New Zealand has even promised to unveil this), but also the chance to sit upright with legs fully extended.
This marks an important differentiator for this particular product, which promises to take up the same amount of real estate for the same number of seats onboard by stacking one over the other. In fact, Zephyr claims it can increase cabin density on the Boeing 787 by 14%.
Stacking, however, would come at the cost of overhead bins, so I’d imagine that the airline might have to offer a locker similar to what United now features onboard its CRJ-550 aircraft.
In theory, this is a great product. In reality, there are still many hurdles to be cleared before Zephyr would be available on your next flight. First, the product has not been certified yet by the Federal Aviation Administration or any other safety body. Not only must it be certified, but it must be certified in every position and every stage of the flight. Will passengers be able to quickly evacuate from the upper berths in case of emergency?
The seat was designed by Jeffery O’Neill and Matt Cleary and patented three years ago. Clearly told Forbes:
“I have 10 years of experience as an industrial designer specializing in interior cabin design and cabin configuration, and have designed and helped to patent numerous different airline seats and seat configurations. The Zephyr seat does not come without its challenges, as is the case with any new product in our industry. However, we have remained committed to considering the certification and engineering requirements throughout every stage of our development. I’m elated to say that I can finally see a clearer path to certification with the latest design.”
But questions remain:
- Will it be certified?
- Is it economical?
- Will it have a negative effect on business class bookings?
- Will airlines buy it?
- Are passengers willing to splurge for it?
Even so, it is an interesting product that looks like an incredible improvement on the present-generation premium economy seats.
CONCLUSION
I’m excited that the Zephyr seat concept could represent the future of premium economy travel, giving more passengers access to lie-flat seating at more reasonable price points. Conceptually, I think many would be willing to trade much of the business or first class soft product just for the chance to lie-flat.
What are your thoughts on the Zephyr seat?
images: Zephyr
Given the pace of innovation from the government created civil aviation duopoly, I would be shocked to see anything like this in any of our lifetimes. We’ll still be flying in glorified 767 and A300 derivatives – stuck in the 80s – unless the Chinese are able to shake this sector up.
Sigh. Yet another government hater benefited from government actions.
1) this kind of innovation (seating) has nothing to do with the airframe. Boeing and Airbus can care less about what the airline want inside, or nothing at all (freight).
2) would you like to be a few miles above ground in a barely tested airframe? I don’t. Boeing merely changed a bit of code, and stuffs fall out of the sky.
3) the main drag of innovation in this space is you. Or, rather, us. We passengers happily switch airlines to save a few bucks (literally). What can airlines do but to cut down on cost, including that of training pilots and new seating. Concorde were deprecated by lack of demand, not governmental action.
I’d pay for the seat, but I see certification and weight of the double decker structure for structural load to be potential issues.
I think it is super cool but I have lots of questions, many of which you raised. In addition, I wonder how much headache would come from the significant amount of passengers that would not want to be in the “upstairs” seat (some of which would accidentally book it or be assigned it). On many leisure routes senior citizens make up a good portion of premium class bookings, and this could quickly become a headache airlines might not be interested in.
Until the FAA is even willing to entertain the idea of passengers climbing down a ladder in the cabin during an evacuation, ideas like these are dead in the water.
Bingo – will never happen
Just out of curiousity – would they consider allowing only able bodied passengers, similar to the current exit row requirements?
Very neat from a design perspective. Absolutely no way this ever happens.
While these look really cool in the drawings, I can’t imagine them seeing the light of day on any airplane that flies into, out of or through the USA. Half of the seats would have no hope of ADA compliance and create all sorts of logistics issues for dealing with handicapped passengers.
In addition to the evacuation concerns, practical problems crop up too. How is a team supposed to clean the cabin when the Airline was a quick gate turnaround? What to you do with passengers who want to be accommodated on a different floor? How quickly are those ladders going to break? If a ladder jams open, how do you get down the aisle?
I just don’t think it works once it leaves the blueprints.
The ADA doesn’t apply to Airlines (At least Part 121). They are governed by the Air Carriers Act.
How do you serve meals to the upper seats? What if someone in the upper seat spills a hot drink onto someone below?
It’s a great design choice but there’s practical concerns (actual people using the product) that this doesn’t really account for.
I’d take the upper bunk any time to get lay flat for premium economy prices (the food/blankets etc are nice in business/first for work, but push comes to shove for my family trips this would be incredible). I agree that the FAA will never think this is a good idea for evacuation/safety reasons. I can’t imagine how it would pass muster.
I wonder how much more this would actually weigh than the requisite dense seating and overhead bins that exist or even in the weight of a mechanical business class seat (where presumably metal and machine mechanics would weigh more) being replaced by this non-mechanical double-decker seat.
As noted the current premium economy is basically what old economy used to look like so it will be interesting how things evolve.
*wakes up, groggy, to go to lav – falls to lower level, breaks wrist/arm/neck, sues airline
*upper-level passengers can’t escape burning cabin because they’re waiting for that ladder, sues airline
*lower-level passengers’ egress from burning cabin blocked by upper-level ladder, sues airline
I can’t imagine FA’s being fans of this. Having to do meal services would be a nightmare.
@Doug is right about the ADA. I can already see the lawsuits and outrage when paraplegics or wheelchair bound elderly aren’t allowed full access to the upper seats.
Seems to me that the airline would only need to block a certain amount of seats as being ADA compliant. Much as a hotel does. I personally think this is very innovative and with some proper planning could actually work.
On another point, are the stairs any more dangerous than the 747 or A380 staircase? Or tripping over peoples feet in the aisle on any aircraft?
I do see issues with meal service though. I can’t imagine how you could possibly serve the upper level bunks.
I could see PE eventually becoming something like UAs old IPTW business class
8 across but with flat beds. Dorm style
2/3 of US flyers are fat-Asses. It will never work.
Good for Amtrak not for flying. Where do you put your carry-ons?
How do you allow an overweight person to climb up down the ladder for restroom or evacuations? Turbulence when a fat person on the top ?
Food or beverage service to the top?
How effective the cleaning process in between flights, yet along we know how bad it is even in the J.
Seems most suitable for a family. But let’s face it nobody wants to be below when the top guy spills his drink (turbulence) or either one farts.
I really like the fresh thinking. The lack of lower back support in the illustrations might be a problem for a long haul flight.
Dream on!
Why?
It looks cool but how do you serve food to the people up top?
Well it’s better than the stand up seat idea…..
No. It is a safety issue to evacuate the plane. It’s a safety issue climbing up and down. The seats will be very costly to save weight and be strong enough for crash tests to not collapse into the seats underneath.
A more workable solution is split level seating with a step 12 inches off the ground. The leg compartment for lie flat behind would be in the step. Crash safety isn’t impacted because seats are upright. There is head space in the cabin to fit more lie flat in creatively but double deck isn’t feasible