Photo: Airbus
Airbus originally announced the Airspace cabin, a new design supposed to make every single flight in an A320 family of aircraft a more comfortable and relaxing experience, at the Paris Air Show in June 2017. Since then, the company has been working around the clock to get it ready for mass production.
Now we learn that the new design is almost here, as JetBlue has started the second phase of in-flight testing for additional refinements before the improved cabin becomes available for customers.
The new cabin design comes with a restyled entrance area specifically equipped with a customizable welcome light, so theoretically, you should feel more relaxed from the moment you step in. The cabin now allows for the largest-in-class overhead bins while also coming with new window bezels allowing for more natural light inside.
The integrated window shades and the redesigned side walls are supposed to allow more shoulder room and make the experience tailored to each customer. At the same time, the lavatories have been equipped with systems that make sense today, including anti-microbial coatings and touchless features.
The cabin now uses colored LED lighting and customize hero ceiling lights.
Airbus itself admits that this second stage of testing is critical for the future of its new cabin design, explaining that it already improved the original concept following the first phase.
“The initial in-flight testing subjected the cabin to conditions well beyond what it would normally be subjected to in a standard flight profile. Special cameras and sensors throughout the interior were connected to dedicated flight-test and recording equipment in the cabin so that the engineers could analyse the performance and characteristics of the cabin elements in real-time on board, as well as in the lab afterwards," Michael Willmer, Airbus’ technical leader for the A320 Family Airspace Cabin program, explained.
There’s no ETA right now as to when passengers can board a plane with the new cabin design.
The new cabin design comes with a restyled entrance area specifically equipped with a customizable welcome light, so theoretically, you should feel more relaxed from the moment you step in. The cabin now allows for the largest-in-class overhead bins while also coming with new window bezels allowing for more natural light inside.
The integrated window shades and the redesigned side walls are supposed to allow more shoulder room and make the experience tailored to each customer. At the same time, the lavatories have been equipped with systems that make sense today, including anti-microbial coatings and touchless features.
The cabin now uses colored LED lighting and customize hero ceiling lights.
Airbus itself admits that this second stage of testing is critical for the future of its new cabin design, explaining that it already improved the original concept following the first phase.
“The initial in-flight testing subjected the cabin to conditions well beyond what it would normally be subjected to in a standard flight profile. Special cameras and sensors throughout the interior were connected to dedicated flight-test and recording equipment in the cabin so that the engineers could analyse the performance and characteristics of the cabin elements in real-time on board, as well as in the lab afterwards," Michael Willmer, Airbus’ technical leader for the A320 Family Airspace Cabin program, explained.
There’s no ETA right now as to when passengers can board a plane with the new cabin design.
The #Airspace cabin is close to making its debut with the #A320 Family and @JetBlue!
— Airbus (@Airbus) February 12, 2021
Find more insights on what to expect when flying in an Airspace cabin as well as the flight test campaign - a key milestone to ensure you the best possible experience!
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