PriestmanGoode reveals latest innovation set to ‘revolutionise’ air travel for disabled passengers.
For a long time, pressure has been growing on the aviation industry to make aircraft and flying more accessible to disabled passengers. With space at a premium and the strict safety measures in place, enhancing aircraft accessibility requires innovative collaboration and determination.
That is where PriestmanGoode comes in. Promising to ‘revolutionise’ air travel for disabled passengers, the company have recently revealed Air 4 All, a new system which will allow disabled passengers to remain in their wheelchairs for the entire flight.
Working collaboratively with Flying Disabled and SWS Certification, the Air 4 All uses similar technology to the ISOFIX/LATCH standards set for ‘fixed’ car seats, allowing wheelchairs to be securely installed. The system was created to increase aircraft accessibility so that a wide range of powered wheelchairs and mobility aids can be certified for flying. If there are no wheelchair users on board, the seats function as regular airline seats.
Paul Priestman, the designer and chairman of PriestmanGoode stated that the new system will ‘usher in a step change in the industry and finally offer equal access to comfort, safety, and dignity for all passengers.’
In the past, the biggest barrier has been that in order to provide greater space to wheelchair users, airlines would have to reduce aircraft seat count resulting in a loss in revenue. Addressing this, Paul Priestman stated Air 4 All solves this problem by having the ‘added benefit of enabling airlines to retain the design of their cabin on every seat, ensuring brand consistency and a cohesive brand experience for all passengers.’
The project set out with the objective to establish a new standard for the provision of accessible air travel, enabling disabled passengers equal access to a safe and comfortable air travel experience as every other passenger. Over time, it also aims to drive overall practical change in the airline industry to be inclusive to passengers of all disabilities.
The founder of Flying Disabled, Chris Wood MBE, commented; ‘Air 4 All is the first system that has been developed jointly by a design agency, a certification body and with input from the disabled community.’
By taking a collaborative approach, Paul, Chris and everyone else involved in the product are working to ensure Air 4 All is ‘harmonised and fit for purpose, thus significantly improving the travel experience for severely disabled passengers.’