Airborne Hotel Featured in Aircraft Interiors International, February 2010

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Airborne Hotel Main Characteristics

The Airborne Hotel (AbH) concept (U.S. patent #6056239) is an innovative seating system for wide-body aircraft that effectively redistributes the available cabin space, ensuring a fully-reclining lie-flat seat for every passenger on board, without affecting passenger capacity in aircraft and, thus, the bottom line.

Below is a brief overview of the concept's main characteristics and features.

Maximized use of cabin space.

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The AbH concept’s functionality is based on the bi-level arrangement of its seating modules.

By taking full advantage of the vertical space available in aircraft cabins, the AbH system essentially adds a third dimension to the passenger cabin; this allows for an optimal utilization of the otherwise empty overhead space, thereby attaining equal or superior passenger capacity ratios than any conventional seating arrangement, while providing far more individual room for every passenger.

Three or four circulation aisles.
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This unique feature makes for space-efficient layouts that use all the available cabin space—from floor to ceiling—while still providing direct access to every modular passenger unit (single or double), and increasing the aisles’ circulation capacity by as much as 100%, a factor that can help make boarding and disembarking more efficient.

Plus, in AbH layouts from 66% to 100% of economy-class seats are directly next to an aisle, compared to approximately 40% in conventional cabin configurations.

Strong/lightweight construction.
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AbH units are designed to be built using state-of-the-art reinforced plastic composite materials, in order to create a solid, yet light and flexible structure that can be firmly attached to the aircraft's structural elements at key points.

Each module is designed to weigh roughly the same as the conventional seat cabin section it substitutes; this is possible because of the modules’ honeycomb-like structure, which allows for multiple points of anchoring and fastening to the aircraft’s fuselage, thus enabling the use of lighter, yet highly resistant materials.

Single and double-seat modular units.

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The AbH system features single and double-seat modular units; double-seat units are designed so that each seat can be operated independently, and both types of units always have direct access to an aisle.

Click on image to enlarge.

Click on image to enlarge.

Special accommodations.

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All lower-tier, single-seat units—especially those next to the windows—are ideal accommodations for passengers with special needs, such as senior or handicapped persons, as well as pregnant women or mothers traveling with small babies. Single-seat units located next to the windows provide a special niche—between the seat and the fuselage—which can fit a crib safely away from aisle traffic; this niche can also be a convenient space in which to place mobility devises.

Adjustable independent lie-flat seats.
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A foldout mechanism enables seats to be adjusted manually and independently, without crew assistance being necessary.
Additionally, every upper-tier passenger unit is designed to be equipped with an armrest that slides along with the adjustable seat's cushions to become a safety rail when seats are set in the bed mode. As an added benefit for passenger safety, AbH’s modular structure allows for seats to be fitted with sturdy three-point adjustable seatbelts.

Fixed integrated steps and handgrips.
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Steps are integrated to every set of modules in order for travelers occupying upper-tier units to be able to enter or abandon their modules safely and without crew assistance. The steps feature ergonomically designed handgrips, skid-resistant materials and lighting; plus, they are designed so as not to invade the aisles’ space, as they are fully integrated to each module’s interior space.

Integrated personal carry-on baggage compartment.
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Each unit features a personal hand-baggage compartment conveniently located in front of every passenger. This compartment is designed to provide ample stowage for carry-on baggage and personal items in a closed, individual container that is within arm reach of each passenger, eliminating the need for passengers to abandon their seats to get items from their carry-on baggage. The compartments’ structure also encloses part of the comfort, safety and entertainment equipment provided in each unit for passenger use.

Extra space for carry-on baggage.
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Closed compartments for additional stowage space are located directly above the single-seat units at both sides of the cabin—next to the windows. These extra compartments ensure that AbH configurations match, and even surpass, stowage capacity attained by conventional stowage bins.
Another benefit in AbH cabins is that passengers do not need to lift their baggage quite as high as they do in conventional cabins in order to reach the baggage bins.

The Sleeper Plane Reborn

From DST to AbH

The idea of creating sleeper planes by adding tiers in a passenger cabin dates back almost to the beginnings of commercial aviation. Back in the 1930s, the legendary DC-3 actually began as a luxury sleeper transport, fittingly dubbed the Douglas Sleeper Transport (DST). The aircraft had a standard capacity of 14 passengers—the seven lower berths converted into 14 large seats for daytime travel while the seven upper berths folded into the ceiling. There were two dressing rooms and lavatories located in the rear of the cabin; a galley provided hot meals. There was also a honeymoon cabin up front. In the railroad-oriented thinking of the time this was a flying Pullman car.

Although the DST and similar designs that followed worked and were welcomed by air travelers with money to spare, such sleeper planes were ultimately canceled due to economic reasons. While a DST could carry 14 to 16 passengers, a DC-3—the DST’s regular-seating counterpart—had a standard capacity of between 21 and 28 passengers, with a maximum capacity of 32 passengers. The significant passenger capacity reduction in the DST meant that these kinds of accommodations were too expensive for the average air traveler and, in the end, economically unsustainable. Since then, creating a cabin configuration capable of maintaining costs, while still providing all travelers with enough room to rest and sleep comfortably, has remained a seemingly unattainable ideal—pie in the sky.

As flight routes steadily multiplied and became longer, people could fly farther and to more destinations than ever before; this, however, also led to the deterioration of the general flight experience. For many decades, the air-travel industry’s focus was solely oriented towards cost reduction, and seat pitch was constantly reduced. In recent years, the flying public’s requirements and the airline industry’s focus have gradually shifted—from absolute cost-efficiency and the search for the lowest possible airfare (at the expense of comfort) to a more value and comfort-oriented service; however, an integral solution that provides a lie-flat bed for every passenger on board, without affecting the bottom line for both carriers and passengers, has remained elusive.

.With the advent of the A380 superjumbo, the industry has witnessed a true renaissance in aircraft interior design. First, there were the “pod” seats for business-class; then, the luxurious “suites” for first-class were introduced; and now, the surge in “premium” economy-class offerings, with new innovations surrounding this segment. It is evident that, with ever-longer flight routes and an ever-increasing need for air travel, being able to lie down and sleep has ceased to be a luxury and is quickly becoming a basic necessity—one that carriers know must be addressed. This reality has spawned a renovated interest in bi-level cabin solutions as a viable approach to attain sleeper-cabin comfort for economy and premium economy in long-haul flights, without the inevitable loss of passenger density in aircraft.

Finding a functional and cost-effective solution which guarantees that everybody wins is always a complex task; we at Airborne Hotel Systems believe the Airborne Hotel (AbH) sleeper cabin concept could be that long-sought solution.

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DST-AbH Comparison

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It can be said that the AbH concept takes off where the DST left off. The fundamental difference between the two designs lies in the optimum distribution of the space available that is achieved by the AbH system. While a DST could not compete with the passenger capacity of its regular-seating counterpart—the DC3—the AbH design can equal, or even surpass, the seat densities attained by conventional-seating layouts.

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This breakthrough promises to forever transform the flying experience of the average passenger, greatly improving overall comfort and well-being; plus, by achieving this objective without compromising seating capacity in aircraft, the AbH concept offers operators a profit-oriented, all-in-one solution.

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Class differentiation will likewise be transformed. At present, class is defined principally by the abundance or lack of longitudinal space and, thus, the ability to lay down and sleep comfortably; with AbH, class will be defined mostly by the subtler aspects that constitute true luxury—the level of personalized attention, the abundance of amenities, the quality of meals and beverages, the lushness of the on board environment, and other privileges. In other words, class will be in the details..

Another important difference between the DST and AbH designs is autonomy. In a DST cabin, as in a Pullman car, flight attendants were in charge of turning seats into beds, and vice versa; they would also need to bring a ladder and hold it in order for occupants to climb in or out of the upper berths. The AbH design permits for each seat to be transformed into a bed independently and without crew assistance being necessary; plus, the design's integrated steps ensure that upper-tier occupants can enter or abandon their seats at will.

At the heart of the AbH system’s effectiveness is its exclusive implementation of a third or fourth aisle in the passenger cabin. This unique feature ensures that all units—single and double—have direct access to an aisle; plus, from 66% up to 100% of economy-class seats are immediately next to an aisle, compared to approximately 40% in conventional cabin layouts. A third or fourth aisle also increases corridor space from 50% up to 100%, a factor that can help make boarding and disembarking more efficient, and enable quicker turnaround times.

.In AbH layouts, aisles generally have a width of roughly 20 inches in economy class, and 28 inches in business/premium class. Seat width in economy is approximately 20 inches, and 28 inches in business / premium—these measurements vary depending on aircraft and cabin type. In other words, seat and aisle width in AbH cabins is consistent with that of conventional cabin layouts.
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The floor of the upper tiers is never set higher than 130 cm (just over four feet). All lower-tier seats—especially those next to an aisle—are ideal accommodations for senior and handicapped persons, as well as other passengers with special needs, such as large persons, pregnant women or mothers with small babies; lower-tier seats always comprise over 50% of seats in AbH cabin arrangements. Additionally, the curvature of the fuselage in aircraft cabins (or on the upper deck of an A380) allows for a special niche within all window seat units that can conveniently fit a baby crib (between the seat and the fuselage) safely away from aisle traffic.
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In summary, these are the main characteristics that differentiate AbH from the DST, making it a worthy successor as well as a viable possibility for the imminent rebirth of the sleeper plane.

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Airborne Hotel Featured in Aircraft Interiors International, September 2009

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Airborne Hotel Featured in Avión Revue, October/November 2009

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Airborne Hotel Featured in Science & Vie, Spécial Aviation 2009

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Airborne Hotel at Aircraft Interiors Expo, Hamburg 2009

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Airborne Hotel Systems was present at Aircraft Interiors Expo 2009, held in Hamburg, Germany from 31st March to 2nd April.

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The Airborne Hotel Systems stand, located in Hall B7 of the Hamburg Messe und Congress, displayed a full-size mock-up of the Airborne Hotel (AbH) sleeper cabin concept, recreating a half section of the upper deck cabin of an Airbus A380 superjumbo, albeit with an AbH layout consisting of four modules with six seat-beds.

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The attributes and atmosphere of the passenger cabin concept were quickly grasped and appreciated by every visitor, and the enthusiasm of potential users at the prospect of some day flying surrounded by such an environment was evident. Comments like "It feels cozy" or "I wouldn’t mind long flights like this" were frequent, and most visitors cherished the "generous, well-defined individual space" offered by the AbH system.

Already taken back by the cabin's comfortable surroundings,  visitors to the stand were further surprised to find out that the mock-up did not represent a first-class or even a business-class cabin, but rather a premium-economy cabin; this due to the AbH concept's optimal redistribution of cabin space, which creates more room per passenger while maintaining, and even increasing, seat count ratios. 

In addition to the overall abundance of personal space and the well-balanced level of privacy that the AbH concept offers for each passenger, there were several design features that caught the public's eye and were very popular among visitors. One example is the possibility for mothers to travel comfortably with babies or toddlers —especially in the single seat-bed window modules, which have a special corner that can perfectly fit a small crib—; another design feature that scored high points with visitors was the completely autonomous nature of the carry-on baggage compartments, all of which are personal —one compartment per passenger— and conveniently located within each seat-bed module, so that every passenger can access their hand luggage without the need to stand up or even leave their seat!

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Many attendees tried out the upper-tier seats —set at a height of no more than 130 cm. All of them found it simple to get in and out of them by using the ergonomically designed steps.

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As the AbH system's designers had anticipated, upper-tier seats are particularly attractive to younger and fitter travelers, while lower-tier seats are preferred by older passengers, as well as larger persons or those with any impairment.
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All in all, it can be concluded that, at its first-ever presentation in a true-life environment, the AbH concept was received with great optimism and enthusiasm by industry insiders and, above all, by air travelers.
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