Passenger size determines price in Seymourpowell aircraft seat concept

Seymourpowell has created an aircraft seat concept, which it says could blur the boundaries of the traditional economy flight class, and see seat prices determined by passenger size.

Morph by Seymourpowell

The Morph concept sees foam pads replaced with a fabric that is stretched across three seats, around a frame and over formers.

One piece of fabric is used for the seat back and one is used for the seat base. The fabric is clamped down by the armrests and the upper dividers to form three individual ‘hammock seats’.

Moving the formers shapes the flexible fabric, meaning that a range of ergonomic adjustments can be achieved and that the fabric can be morphed ‘to provide a tailored fit and greater comfort,’ according to Seymourpowell.

Morph by Seymourpowell

‘The seat has been designed to offer passengers choice over the amount of space they pay for and to provide a better fit for more people,’ the consultancy says.

The consultancy even suggests that smaller passengers or children ‘could sell or trade their inches to larger passengers who want more space’ such as a business traveller prepared to pay a bit more so they can work, or mothers with children requiring privacy.

As the reclining movement happens within the fabric of the chair, its solid back does not need to move. 

Morph by Seymourpowell

Using one sheet of fabric across the seats means dividers can be moved laterally and clamped in a different position, changing the width of the seat.

Families travelling together can tailor their seats according to size, ‘for example a Mum and Dad with an infant could pre-book a large, medium and a small space,’ says Seymourpowell.

The mechanism and formers move too, so that comfort, recline and adjustability can be maintained consistently as the seat size is changed.

Passengers can extend the width of their armrests over their own lap, in a bid to create ‘a feeling of independence and control over their own space,’ says Seymourpowell.

Morph by Seymourpowell

Seymourpowell head of transport Jeremy White says, ‘Passengers who can afford premium, business or first class have a choice and hence some control over their own experience.  

‘For those who travel economy, there is a very limited choice of alternatives.  Morph is a solution – a standard product that meets the needs of lots of different kinds of people.’

As well as passenger size the design considers the needs of passenger types including young women traveling alone, mothers with children, elderly or less abled passengers, and families.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X8REY-oXl3U?list=UUMxy4s12DIj1YMj9eHbKAEQ

Privacy, security, need for assistance and entertainment have all been factored in says Seymour Powell.

Across the economy section of an aircraft it is hoped that comfort can be increased without a reduction in capacity.

Hide Comments (2)Show Comments (2)
Comments
  • Pranav Singanapalli November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Hope i am not the only one to think this idea is stupid. There are so many things wrong with this i don’t know where to start. I’ll try.
    1) Its over complicated.
    2) I don’t think most people would want to be trading, bargaining or asking for couple of inches seat space up in the air. Nor would most people like to asked.
    3) I would hate having to measure my seat width each time I returned from say the toilet, just to be sure the chap next to me didn’t sneakily move the former.
    4) This concept encourages the airline to charge you if you move the former into an empty seat next to you.
    5) I don’t want to have to keep adjusting my seat, nor do i want the guy next to me to keep fiddling around with his seat.
    6) Wider the seat, the harder it gets.
    7) It doesn’t recline. they says it does, but in my book that’s not a recline, not even in economy. Imagine selling these seats as business class.
    8) Fails on 2 safety aspects : a) If the back of the seat is what would be called the reclined position, then the passenger behind it would not be able to brace properly or have space to evacuate quickly in an emergency.
    b) The rigid frame of the seat and perhaps the formers could knock you hard on the head in a crash or even turbulence; as there is no cushion between them and your head. Good luck if you are not short.
    9) Since the only thing separating you from the passengers behind you is a little bit of fabric, you are bound to get kicked or kneed in the back.
    10) Cantilevered seats need extra bracing and are heavier than regular seats of the same strength.
    11) Lastly, where’s my entertainment screen and dining table?

  • Eileen Keribar November 30, -0001 at 12:00 am

    Interesting concept but 1) Takes not-so-groundbreaking cues from the crappy business seats on short-haul flights fashioned out of economy-scaled seating; and 2) The customization for every flight would be a logistics nightmare for staff and significantly add to turnaround times. What the airline may gain in seat-driven income it could lose in number of flights the aircraft can make in a day.

  • Post a comment

Latest articles