Steven Heller presents an interesting comparison. Unless you’re flying business class, space on airplanes is more than a little cramped. When the person sitting in front of you puts his seat down and there is little to no room to put your legs, that’s when it becomes clear that space on airplanes is anything but sufficient. This curious analysis contrasts slave ships to airliner layouts with striking similarities.
By placing photos of both the layout of a slave ship vs. the layout of an airplane side by side, writer Steven Heller proves an unnerving point. The space that many passengers pay up to a thousand dollars for is not much better than the cramped quarters African slaves were forced to endure on their way to the Americas. These airliner layouts comparisons makes one think whether a thousand dollars is slightly overpriced when it comes to plane tickets.
Cramped Plane Comparisons
Steven Heller Contrasts Slave Boats With Airliners
Trend Themes
1. Airline Seating Trends - The cramped quarters of a slave ship contrasted with standards in todays aircraft seating layouts highlights the opportunity for airlines to redesign seating plans with passenger comfort in mind.
2. Luxury Airlines Trends - By highlighting the poor space afforded to economy passengers, the existing trend of indulgent first-class amenities and services could be replaced with more spacious seating options in higher-class sections.
3. Bio-inspired Design Trends - Drawing on functional arrangements in nature, airlines could further explore biomimicry methods to create more ergonomic, comfortable seating solutions that work more effectively within the constrained spaces of passenger planes.
Industry Implications
1. Airline Industry - With passengers increasingly looking for maximum comfort and space, airlines have the opportunity to overhaul current seating arrangements and improve customer satisfaction.
2. Hospitality Industry - As airlines seek to enhance passenger experiences, innovative seating solutions that cater to individual needs represent a potential growth area for the hospitality sector.
3. Transportation Industry - By addressing passenger comfort issues, airlines can differentiate themselves from other transport modes as well as bolstering their position among today's environmentally-conscious travelers.