New airplane seats for the coronavirus era?
The coronavirus outbreak has already led to sweeping changes across the airline industry. Could airplane cabins be next?
One aircraft seat manufacturer rolled out new designs this week for economy seating that it believes could help carriers adjust to flying in the age of coronavirus.
Among these designs is the "Janus" seat, the most radical of the two unveiled by Italian firm Aviointeriors. The concept features forward-facing window and aisle seats with rear-facing middle seats. The middle seats are flanked by a wraparound clear shield that separates them from their two neighboring seats.
Aviointeriors says the layout helps “ensure the maximum isolation between passengers seated next to each other.”
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“Each passenger has its own space isolated from others, even from people who walk through the aisle,” the company says, adding that the “high shield ... prevents the breath propagation to occupants of adjacent seats.”
The concept name was inspired by the Roman god Janus, typically shown with two faces – one facing forward and the other backward.
Aviointeriors also unveiled a simpler design called “Glassafe,” which is a more typical three-abreast coach-class layout that features a transparent shield separating the upper torsos and heads of the passengers.
Similar to the Janus layout, Aviointeriors says the goal is to “minimize contacts and interactions via air” of the passengers.
The seat designs may or may not ever see the light of day. Aircraft seat manufacturers are constantly rolling out new designs, some practical and others more outlandish concept pieces unlikely to be seriously considered by airlines.
More: 7 ways coronavirus could forever change the way we travel
On the outlandish side, for example, Aviointeriors is perhaps best known for its “ultra high-density” SkyRider-style seat that it has proposed in several versions in recent years. That seat received lots of media attention but little traction as a serious option for airlines.
Still, the fact that Aviointeriors would roll out new concepts meant to adjust to coronavirus concerns underscores the severity of the problems the pandemic has created for the airline industry.
It’s unclear whether any airlines might currently be looking for such solutions, but carriers will likely face a dilemma about how to handle social distancing concerns.
For now, a number of airlines – including Alaska, American, Delta, Spirit and United – are blocking middle seats or restricting sales to help space out passengers. Although that might work as a stopgap solution, taking these steps long term would be calamitous in terms of revenue.
Aviointeriors CEO Paolo Drago noted that prospect in an interview with FlightGlobal, saying: “Maybe it would be better to keep the aircraft on the ground in that situation.”
His company’s Janus interior could present a solution, he said. He also touted the design as offering extra privacy, even after coronavirus fears ebb.
But before you see it on your next flight (if ever), hurdles remain to be overcome.
“To reach that point I would need to launch a program, and to do that, airline X, Y or Z would have to show significant interest before I can invest in design or production man-hours on it,” Drago told FlightGlobal.
Stay tuned …
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.