An airport chair or airport seating is seating within an airport.
Airport terminals designed by major architects such as Renzo Piano (Kansai International Airport) or Richard Rogers (London Heathrow Terminal 5) require high quality seating to match the general quality of their interiors.
Fire safety is a significant consideration at airports. Regulations now govern the contents of airport terminals and this affects the choice of materials used for the seating. Werner Sobek designed the airport chair Expression using only aluminium in a simple form.
Recent firms and designers involved in the highly lucrative and competitive business include Porsche, Vitra, Sir Norman Foster, and Alberto Meda.
Business travellers commonly wish to use laptop computers while waiting and so seating for them may incorporate a charging point and a form of desk.
Robert Sommer studied the design of airport seating and concluded that the arrangement of chairs in rigid lines bolted to the floor was deliberately sociofugal -- discouraging social interaction such as conversation and encouraging the sitters to go to commercial locations such as shops and cafes. The provision of arms on the chairs increased the usage of the chairs, as compared with bench seats without arms. Strangers are more comfortable sitting adjacent each other if there is an arm to mark their personal space. The parallel orientation of the modular seat units also minimises face-to-face contact and this is less threatening for strangers.
Video Airport seating
History
While designing chairs of the Chicago O'Hare International Airport in 1962, Charles and Ray Eames took it upon themselves to design a chair that would not only be stylish, but also functional for the people occupying each seat. This seat was later deemed, the Eames Tandem Sling Seat.
Like anything, updates and recreations are needed to stay relevant. Brian Alexander took the Eames brothers' creation and added needed revamps to stay up with the hustle and bustle of airport occupants. He added an occasional table in between seats and a power plug in, which became a big hit with people traveling for work. In addition, with technology being so dominant in society, this feature allowed for convenient charging of technological devices.
Maps Airport seating
Seating design
When traveling, airports are one of the primary things people experience when entering a new town, it is important that they represent the town and the experience they will encounter while traveling. Before travelers walk out airport doors, the seating is a way to leave an impression in hopes they return.
Arconas Airport Suppliers worked with Southwest Airlines to figure out what was best for their own flyers. The biggest problem they were facing was how to incorporate cup holders into the seat. After multiple test runs they came to the conclusion that their customers did not like detachable cup holders. After much brainstorming, they came to the conclusion that cup holders were most sensible to be placed at the end of the arm rest, but incorporated in.
Ergonomics are important to the structure of any chair. Structured properly, it benefits their working environment and also supports good posture. With layovers and delayed flights, comfort is important for the happiness and ease of flyers.
Airport Suppliers carries a total of 35 different seating brands. From Automated Retail Concepts BV to NOVA Signage and Furniture Solutions, there are many different options of seating. This allows airports to create a cohesive theme throughout to best suit their patrons as well as the city it resides in.
Green Furniture Concept looks to create a 'seamless' concept in their furniture. Airport seating often comes in large masses and they hope for their furniture to flow with the room and not overwhelm it. In addition, companies often form their furniture with soft lines.
Variance in airport lounges
Seating in airports plays a significant role in the satisfaction of travelling passengers as well as their overall experience in airports. Seating has been an ever so important aspect of airports due to it being a component that represents both a pleasant airport experience and visual appeal.
Purpose of seating styles
The design of the standard airport seating has not seen a significant change in over 50 years, and is fact known for its simplicity. The primary focus of today's airport seating goes to the size and comfort of seating to fit to the right environment that the airport and airline caters to.
Airport lounges provide elite access to those part of the service allow passengers to feel the comfort of home and beyond in a place aside from the standard airport environment. Airport lounges require a membership, which allows access to a number of premium amenities. While standard domestic and international airport lounges include basic seating and access to charging stations, the membership based lounges provide seating that are larger, comfortable and spacious.
Primary features of airport lounges include:
- Refreshments and bars
- Entertainment
- Relaxation
- Unique seating styles
Types of seating
Dubai International Airport (DXB) provides airline travelers with a premium seating range of seating material in various colors of blue, red, black and grey. Dubai International Airport (DXB) is an example of an airport that is focused on setting apart standards of original airport seating and experimenting with various colors to enhance appearance and comfort.
Priority Pass is a membership-based lounge access service that caters to airports around the world including Africa, Asia, Continental Europe, Latin America and The Caribbean, Middle East, North America and UK and England. With 25 years of service, Priority Pass provides passengers with elegant seating styles, far from ordinary.
The first sleeping pod was introduced in 2013 to Helsinki Airport in Finland. The sleeping pod allowed airline travelers to relax in their own peaceful space. The pod features adjustment to be turned from a seat to a bed, storage area for carry-on luggage, as well as charging connectivity.
Dubai International Airport (DXB) also features sleeping pods that fulfils a similar purpose at their Sleep 'n Fly Lounge.
The Helsinki Airport in Finland provides travelers with an at-home style furnishing with food and drinks as though it was the comfort of your own home.
Portland International Airport (PDX) in Portland, Oregon offers a distillery tasting room, a first of its kind in an airport. Known for its micro-breweries and wines, sample new drinks at House Spirits Distillery in PDX.
Seats are no longer just ordinary seats at London Heathrow's Aspire Lounge where travelers can opt for a full out relaxed spa treatment to rejuvenate the body and mind and refresh in between travel. Additionally, bar style seating and individualized sofa-seating is elegant for business class travel.
Comfortability trends
The environment of airport waiting areas is continuously updated, and revamped. The purpose has been, to enhance the experience of the traveler. Due to the reinforcement of airport security, the wait time of a passenger has significantly increased. To accommodate customer experience, airports have applied major efforts in increasing comfort in the lobbies/seating areas. The space surrounding the seating area within an airport is designed to encourage comfort, happiness and connectedness within travelers. The level of comfort within travelers has been dependent on a number of elements, which affect the surrounding environment.
The six airport servicescape factors are:
- Design
- Scent
- Functional organization
- Air/lighting conditions
- Seating
- Cleanliness
In a study regarding the importance of these factors, it was found that there is a positive correlation between the comfort of the traveler and the scent of the waiting area. A higher level of comfort has encouraged the desire to fly through a specific airline more than once.
Modern technologies
As for the future of airports, there are many trends floating around, and becoming more relevant in in regards to the experience of the traveler. An example, being the need to create a "sense of place". The seating arrangement in a waiting area, is taking on a new and fresh look, all in the hopes of creating a positive response from travelers.
The Ampere modular tandem seating system is a seating arrangement designed for a technologically reliant society. It allows travelers to comfortably utilize multiple electrical devices, while remaining seated in their chair. The wiring goes behind the chair, creating an appealing and inviting look.
The introduction of the GoSleep sleeping pods at the Abu Dhabi International Airport, has allowed travelers to sleep comfortably, during longer layovers. There is a pull down cover, to provide travelers with the feelings of security and privacy. It also includes outlets, so that electronic devices may be charged, while one is sleeping.
References
Source of article : Wikipedia
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