Prototype airline seat would make the skies friendlier to passengers in wheelchairs
The convertible seat can accommodate passengers' wheelchairs without changing cabin configurations. Air4All A UK-based design consortium has unveiled a promising new prototype that could dramatically ease flight travel for wheelchaired passengers with mobility restrictions. At this week’s Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg, Germany, a design and accessibility rights collaborative called Air 4 All showcased its patented alternative airliner seat which can easily convert as needed to fit travelers’ personal wheelchairs. According to the US Department of Transportation, airline company personnel mishandled or damaged nearly 11,400 travelers’ wheelchairs in 2022 alone. As Insider also noted earlier this month, many of these devices can cost thousands of dollars, and are often specifically tailored to individual owners. Meanwhile, disabled airline passengers often must transfer multiple times across wheelchairs and other various transportation methods from arrival,...