FOCUS ON AIRLINE TRENDS
Right top: An amenity bag that doubles up as an iPad case; below left to right: JAL’s new Economy seat and Economy smartphone holder
passengers in Business with amenity bags that can be re-used as an iPad case, which is a clever way of branding and a nice airline souvenir for passengers.
Cell phone seat pockets
Storage space for personal electronic devices (PEDs) is not only reserved for the more spacious seating arrangements in Business class. Several seat manufacturers are beginning to incorporate smartly-designed spaces in Economy where passengers can store their mobile device. For example, passengers travelling in Economy on Air France’s A380 and select B777- 300s can easily store their cell phone into a ‘small belongings stowage’, which is located just below the in-seat USB port to allow for easy recharging of the device. Japan Airlines’ new Economy seats (manufactured by ZIM Flugsitz), which will make their debut on the airline’s B777-300s in January 2013, have been designed with a conveniently-placed smartphone holder which is also located near the USB port. LIFT Design’s Daniel Barron sees some design challenges for dedicated PED storage areas though, particularly in Economy where space is very limited. For example, he asks: “Is some other feature going to be sacrificed for the dedicated storage? When is a personal electronic device considered too large to be placed in the pocket during take off and landing? Does using the meal table or personal TV hinder access to the stowage? And if the storage is too well contained, will customers forget items when they leave the aircraft?” A similar concern is voiced by John Walton
from Australian Business Traveller: “With some airlines’ storage spaces closing up completely, it’s easy to miss your phone or tablet in a tucked-away compartment, especially if arriving at night or after a tiring red-eye.”
Tablet holder
Besides providing easy storage or placement for passengers’ digital devices, a number of firms are also coming up with innovative design solutions that allow passengers to place their digital device in a convenient position when
watching a video or movie.
At the recent APEX conference in California, a start-up company called SmartTray unveiled a new tray table design that features a simple yet smartly designed built-in groove for holding tablets, e-readers and other portable electronic devices upright. According to SmartTray, the X1 tray table costs about the same amount of money as the standard tray, and the groove is easy to clean of any debris and/or accidentally spilled liquids.
Says SmartTray ceo Nick Pajic: “From the airline carrier’s perspective, with more and more travellers bringing on board personal electronic devices, including expensive tablets for entertainment, why not give their customers something as simple as a tray table with a groove? The X1 tray table features a hands-free experience. No longer will travellers have to
hold, prop or contort themselves to view their devices. And they can leave their holders and stands at home, so there is less to carry and fidget with.”
For the latest news on OnBoard Entertainment turn to pages 60 – 67 in this issue.
Raymond Kollau is the founder of market research agency www.
airlinetrends.com.
Having been part of the leading consumer trend firm
trendwatching.com since its inception, Raymond founded
airlinetrends.com to focus on trends and innovations in the global airline industry. He has been quoted as an industry expert in a range of media as diverse as CNN, MSNBC, and The New York Times and is also known for his high-level and colourful presentations.
www.airlinetrends.com
www.onboardhospitality.com 23
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