 "Photo: Courtesy of Virgin Atlantic Airlines")
 "Photo: Courtesy of Virgin Atlantic")
Cheap airplane seats are cheap for a reason. Crowded seats, a bad in-flight movie and the sound of the bathroom flushing a short distance away generally characterize what it feels like to fly coach. However, this version of the in-flight experience could soon be history as many major airports and airlines are incorporating new, innovative designs that can be enjoyed by anybody, regardless of ticket price.
Virgin America, for instance, is now the first American airline to offer aircraft mood lighting, a series of tinted LED lights that are offered in first class and coach sections on all Virgin America Airbus A320 models. According to Budget Travel’s article, “Flight innovations you’ll love,” mood lighting allows passengers to enjoy 12 different tints and tones of violet, ranging from a lively blue / purple for daytime flights to a darker violet during red-eye flights. The lights are designed to help travelers sleep easier and more soundly to avoid the jet lag that follows long flights.
Additionally, Virgin America is also the first to offer wireless Internet access on flights. Every seat has basic electrical sockets, USB ports and Ethernet plugs for charging phones, laptops and other devices. These new airplane amenities should put travelers’ technological worries to rest and keep “all your favorite toys juiced up,” according to Virgin America’s Web site.
Even the big, comfy first class seats are getting a run for their money. Cathay Pacific Airways has redesigned coach seating on its airlines so the bottom of the seat slides forward in the reclining position, but the back of the seat doesn’t move, preventing it from coming uncomfortably close to the person behind. American Airlines is developing similar seating, as are several other airline competitors.
Airports are also joining the innovation craze. Many major airports, such as Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport and Los Angeles’ LAX are now permitting travelers to check in by using their cell phones. During check-in, all a user needs to do is bring up the ticket bar code on their cell phone screen, either through text message or e-mail, which would be scanned in the place of a traditional boarding pass. A few airlines, such as Delta and Continental, aim to have this check-in option available at all of their boarding gates across the country. This would virtually eliminate the need for paper tickets, making check-in less of a hassle as well as eco-friendly.
On an even more futuristic note, one London airport is testing “driverless taxi pods,” which would enable passengers to travel from terminal to parking lot much more easily than by shuttle or taxi. These pods currently operate on their own division of roads in London Heathrow’s Terminal 5. They can hold four passengers with luggage comfortably and are battery powered, making them environmentally friendly compared to traditional exhaust-emitting vehicles. Another major perk the pods offer is that the pods don’t work within a schedule, meaning passengers can board on their own time, as opposed to waiting for a bus or taxi.
Not going to be in London anytime soon? Not a problem. Lindbergh Field, the international airport in San Diego, has designed a master plan called, The ‘Green Build’ to “provide facilities and services to make passenger travel more convenient,” according to the project’s Web site. The innovations, expected to reach completion in three to four years, will include smart curb technology, which will enable passengers to check in even before reaching their terminal.
For more information on Lindbergh Field services and facilities, visit www.sanplan.com.
Be the first to comment on this article!