The plane cabin with seats that change colour when they’ve been cleaned to show they’re germ-free

Revealed: The pandemic-friendly aircraft cabin with dividers, business class ‘rooms’ and seats that change colour when they’ve been cleaned to reassure passengers they’re germ-free

  • London-based cabin design studio PriestmanGoode has unveiled a striking cabin concept – called ‘Pure Skies’
  • It features seats with photochromic and thermochromic ink that reacts to cleaning and changes colour
  • Business class passengers would enjoy a ‘fully enclosed personal space, partitioned by full-height curtains’ 

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Colour psychology could be used in the aircraft cabins of the future to reassure passengers that they are germ-free.

That’s if the vision of London-based cabin design studio PriestmanGoode comes to fruition.

It has unveiled a striking cabin concept – called ‘Pure Skies’ – that features seats with ink that reacts to cleaning processes and changes colour, to show passengers that they’ve been cleaned.

PriestmanGoode has unveiled a striking cabin concept – ‘Pure Skies’. It features seats with ink that changes colour after cleaning and dividers every other row

Pure Skies economy seats would not have entertainment screens or trays – because they often harbour high concentrations of germs

Pure Skies economy seats would not have entertainment screens or trays – because they often harbour high concentrations of germs

Trays would be available but would be clipped on from a supply kept on the service trolley

Trays would be available but would be clipped on from a supply kept on the service trolley

Other notable pandemic-friendly features include dividing screens and gapless seat shells in economy to eliminate dirt traps.

To raise hygiene levels even further economy seats would not have entertainment screens or trays, or seat pockets – because they often harbour high concentrations of germs.

PriestmanGoode divides its new cabin into two areas – Pure Skies Rooms (business class) and Pure Skies Zones (economy class).

PriestmanGoode divides its new cabin into two areas – Pure Skies Rooms (business class, pictured) and Pure Skies Zones (economy class)

PriestmanGoode divides its new cabin into two areas – Pure Skies Rooms (business class, pictured) and Pure Skies Zones (economy class)

Those forking out for a 'Rooms' seat would find themselves in a 'fully enclosed personal space, partitioned by full-height curtains'

Those forking out for a ‘Rooms’ seat would find themselves in a ‘fully enclosed personal space, partitioned by full-height curtains’

The dividing screens in the zones section are every other row and the seats staggered to ‘maximise the feeling of personal space’.

And while entertainment screens are absent, PriestmanGoode says this presents ‘additional commercial opportunities’ – airlines could hire out devices.

Trays, too, would be available but would be clipped on from a supply kept on the service trolley.

And instead of seat pockets, passengers could opt for a removable bag or clip-on their own.  

Those forking out for a ‘Rooms’ seat would find themselves in a ‘fully enclosed personal space, partitioned by full-height curtains’ – and in seats with ‘minimal split lines and seam-welded fabrics’.

The 'Rooms' suites have seats with 'minimal split lines and seam-welded fabrics'

The ‘Rooms’ suites have seats with ‘minimal split lines and seam-welded fabrics’

PriestmanGoode said that lighting could be used to calm passengers by transitioning from purple during the 'cleaning process' to peach and yellow once the flight is underway

PriestmanGoode said that lighting could be used to calm passengers by transitioning from purple during the ‘cleaning process’ to peach and yellow once the flight is underway

Instead of seat pockets, passengers could opt for a removable bag or clip-on their own

Instead of seat pockets, passengers could opt for a removable bag or clip-on their own

The entertainment system would be fully synchronised with personal devices.

The ‘smart’ seat ink, meanwhile, would be used throughout.

Maria Kafel-Bentkowska, PriestmanGoode’s Head of CMF (colour, material and finish), explained: ‘We’ve taken hygiene to a whole new level by leveraging the latest developments in CMF and completely re-thinking the seat cover construction.

 By using photochromic and thermochromic inks that would react to cleaning methods, a message of reassurance can be seen on the fabric surface

Maria Kafel-Bentkowska, PriestmanGoode’s Head of CMF

‘We’ve eliminated all but the essential seat breaks needed for functionality. Other split lines have been treated with heat-welded tape that eliminates places for the virus to hide. However, as the virus is invisible, we’ve taken into consideration passengers’ needs for reassurance while boarding.

‘We have introduced the idea of UVC light and heat cleaning to the cabin. And, by using existing technologies such as photochromic and thermochromic inks that would react to the new cleaning methods, a message of reassurance can be seen on the fabric surface while boarding but then disappears once the passenger is settled.

‘Turning the invisible visible and creating a graphic interface to communicate a message of reassurance supports the airlines’ brand messages around hygiene and safety.’

PriestmanGoode said that on top of this, lighting could be used to calm passengers further, by transitioning from purple during the ‘cleaning process’ to peach and yellow once the flight is underway.

Nigel Goode, Co-founding Director at PriestmanGoode, said: ‘This latest work from the studio represents pragmatic innovation. With the benefit of over 30 years’ experience, we know how to harness design to achieve long-term positive change. We’ve looked ahead to imagine future scenarios and taken into account new passenger behaviours driven by the global pandemic to ensure our designs can be implemented within a few years and will meet user and airline requirements for many years ahead.’

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