I’m currently 36,002 feet above the Nebraska/Colorodo/Wyoming tri-state region. Thanks to my personal entertainment system, I can tell you that our ground speed is 534 miles per hour, we’re 1,022 miles from our final destination of SFO, where the current time is 7:07 pm, and that the temperature outside is -57°F. I have the option of viewing 40 films and 61 TV episodes, listening to 151 audio albums or playing 22 crappy video games. If I was on another airline, I’d be able to purchase Aircell’s gogo internet access and post this article in real-time. But none of this keeps the person in front of me from lowering their seat into my lap, the baby behind me from screaming during takeoff, or the gross guy sitting next to me from oozing into my seat. What I’m getting at is that man has not yet evolved to spend hours in a tin can several miles above the earth’s surface. While the innovation of flying has revolutionized global trade and travel, it can still suck – especially on American carriers. Given what we know about the human body and behavior, how can we make flying better?
Most recent innovations have been around in-flight entertainment. While entertainment systems may help take one’s mind off the pain of traveling, it doesn’t provide much else (and frankly, a passenger can provide themselves with a similar level of entertainment just by remembering a laptop or an iPod). When you look online for ideas on how to make flying better, you reach a bleak consensus that flying can’t be improved and thus one must employ tips and tricks to game the current system or remember creature comforts to try to minimize their suffering when onboard.
What else can airlines do to be more human-friendly? My first hunches center on improving the following:
- Personal Space: An interesting view on claustrophobia is that it is universally possessed by all human beings to varying degrees. The enclosed feeling one gets when stuffed into a tight seat in an enclosed and airborne aluminum alloy tube is a good way to prey on this irrational (or in some sense, perfectly rational) fear. The best example of innovation in flight I saw comes from the Australian designer/ airline duo of Marc Newson and Quantas. Newson envisions a Quantas plane where passengers are actually encouraged to walk around (e.g., to grab a snack). He ingeniously accomplished the goal of more legroom WITHOUT compromising the numbers of rows by making seats thinner yet stronger. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s gas up the A380 and go see us some dingos!
- Fresh Air: An interesting change revolutionized traveling in the late 70’s and early 80’s: airlines started recirculating air to save money. When smoking was banned in the late 80’s and early 90’s, carriers had the ability to reduce further the levels of fresh air necessary to pump into the cabin. The result: increased levels of AIR RAGE, possibly due to less oxygen in the air, meaning less making it to the brain, meaning passengers are more likely to act belligerently without thinking coherently. It may be hard for passengers to appreciate the difference if an airline were to end this recycled air policy, but I’m guessing most would universally prefer fresher air if asked due to the issue of some pathogens being recycled non-stop and the possible oxygen deficiency.
- Social interaction: Human beings are social animals, having evolved through success in communication and cooperation, as required to overcome obstacles posed by nature and to reproduce. Why not bring a feeling of community to the flying process, asks Jeff Jarvis? Meeting new people is actually one exciting thing about travel. Airlines could make flying a lot better by encouraging socializing during the flight, and by allowing passengers to connect via social networks before and after flights, as well.
- Food and Drink: Food is a necessity for survival, but its sight, smell, and taste all unlock positive sensations in our brains. The least you can do for that big glob of grey matter in your noggin is to eat something tasty (instead of the typical crusty sandwich doused with mustard and mayo packet squirts). Luckily, it looks like some domestic airlines have taken note of this and aim to offer finer cuisine.
More legroom without pulling out seats? Make seats thinner: Why didn’t I think of that?
Clearly all of these changes carry a cost. Some things are impossible: providing everyone with their own row, for instance, is just not economically viable without charging more than most are willing to pay. The deaths of business class only jetliners may be helpful case studies. Arguably it was the cost of oil that killed off those companies, but pretty convincing arguments exist as to why such airlines are not economically viable without major tweaks to their business plans.
Most changes to air travel of late have attempted to make it more affordable (or at least keep prices down in the wake of the oil price boom). As we evolve toward more energy-efficient airplanes and the economy stabilizes, I’m hopeful we’ll see some of the above innovations make their way into jetliners. There has to be some point where the additional cost is well worth it. Foreign airlines offer superior service and comfort at practically no extra cost. What if we were actually willing to pay a little extra? Or if engineers were willing to get more creative at the risk of building something that looked weird?
How would you improve flying? Are your suggestions anything you could build a business around yourself (either a new airline or vendor cooperating with today’s airlines)?
