The world of air travel is one that constantly evolving, and the importance of air transportation is in constant growth globally. Over the past few decades, changing passenger and airline needs and priorities have seen massive developments take place in the sphere of airport design, with far more emphasis being placed now on considering the customer experience that airports create overall, rather than treating airports simply as drab, utilitarian travel hubs.
Naturally, these changes have transformed the principles of airport planning and design; creating the modern airport has become a multidisciplinary effort, with aesthetic, practical, environmental, political, and social considerations all needing to be made. The airside experience is a huge part of the travel experience for many passengers, so cultivating strong dining, shopping and lounge environments through the use of appropriate airport specific furniture and design ideas is a crucial element of modern airport planning.
Five Airport Design Ideas
for the Modern Air Traveller
As mentioned above, the nature and role of airport planning and design has evolved massively in recent years. The airport now forms a huge part of the overall travel experience, and air travellers have different expectations than they may have in the past. Having seen what is possible in the air travel sphere, many passengers now view airports from a more experiential standpoint, rather than viewing them as simple, boring transit hubs, whose primary role is to get them from A to B.
In short, providing airport passengers with a travel experience that offers privacy, comfort, relaxation, and functionality is a crucial part of beating competitors in the air travel sphere. Air travellers are also highly diverse in their needs, so providing a strong airport experience generally involves incorporating a variety of different elements of essential airport furniture design ideas.
/ We aim to make future airports calmer, more inviting spaces where passengers
want to arrive early to enjoy destination shopping, restaurants and chill out spaces /
The Importance of
Lounge Seating
David Loyola is an architect specialising in the aviation sphere, who has designed airport lounges for over 20 years. In discussion with CNN Travel, Loyola relays that the average lounge user is generally a business traveller, who is either travelling alone or with a colleague.
Generally, business travellers need to be able to work and keep in touch with important contacts while in transit. Providing ergonomic seating with integrated plugs, like this powered beam seating, empowers this type of passenger to work effectively and efficiently while on the go.
Lounge users also tend to value privacy and comfort. Providing supportive, softer seating to complement more traditional airport bench seating, creates a more varied lounge experience, and allows passengers who spend more time in the lounge to relax and unwind, which is a crucial aspect of customer satisfaction in the air travel sphere.
Reclining seating is another effective way of diversifying seating offerings while providing additional comfort to lounge users. Well-designed reclined seating is ergonomic and highly supportive, making it an effective way for passengers to relax and rest while in transit.
/ Panama is a modular soft seating system with multiple configurations and a variety of components on offer /
/ More than the average beam. In-arm power and recliners are just some of the ways to enhance the waiting experience for travellers /
Airport Lounges
and Airline Identity
Another airport lounge design idea that Loyola touches on is the way in which these spaces provide airlines with an opportunity to truly flesh out travellers’ brand experience with them. Managing passenger flows is a vital part of airport lounge furniture design, so utilising custom, branded public guided systems afford airlines a subtle way to reinforce their brand image while still creating the strongest possible customer experience for travellers.
/ Flexibility for frequently changing queueing configurations /
Multifaceted Spaces to
Meet Diverse Traveller Need
Many airports around the world are endeavouring to provide passengers with a more varied customer experience, rather than filling terminals and departure lounges with rows upon rows of generic, standard airport seating.
For instance, offering powered tables in terminal spaces or dining areas allows passengers to charge their mobile or laptop devices while they enjoy a meal or beverage. Many passengers rely on mobile devices in particular for navigation and the storage of boarding passes and travel documents, so providing them with ample opportunities to charge these devices is a crucial part of the modern airport experience.
The world of modern airport design and planning is more varied and complex than ever before. Utilising a variety of different airport furniture styles and ideas is an important part of providing an excellent customer experience in the air travel sphere.
/ J Series Leaner is designed to work in casual break out spaces or food and beverage areas /