butterfly seating, a flexible seating solution for social distancing in airplanes

as the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic impact aspects of our daily lives, the airline industry continues investigating how it can ensure safe and fearless traveling. in the past days we have seen proposals that encourage the use of partition systems and reversed seating to guarantee social distancing inside aircrafts. today we present the butterfly seating by james lee, a flexible seating solution that allows instant transformation between premium economy/regional business class, and long-haul flatbed suites.

images by james lee

social distancing, together with hygiene, have been the strongest recommendations against the novel coronavirus and planes aren’t the best examples of this. butterfly seating gives airlines the flexibility to adjust cabin configuration based on real time demand for each flight, allowing them to make the most efficient use of precious cabin space while maximizing passenger appeal. this means that while we fight the spread of coronavirus, airlines could adopt this seating design and ensure the passenger’s safety.

each suite is composed of two seats in a staggered arrangement. when both seats are upright, butterfly seating functions as a premium economy or regional business class product. the staggered arrangement of seats gives passengers increased effective width since their elbows are offset from one another. like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly, the seat transforms into a different animal when converted to business class. when the inboard seat is flipped down, it becomes a private suite with direct aisle access, unlimited elbow room and twice the amount of personal space. the side couch gives the suite a unique, homey ambience.

the butterfly seating’s density compares very well with industry standards. it is a game changer that addresses a wide range of issues in airline operations such as fleet assignment, revenue management and aircraft reconfiguration. aircraft are no longer bound by a fixed cabin configuration, enabling higher utilization and better profitability.