'air 4 all' to make air travel more accessible for wheelchair users

‘air 4 all’ democratizes air travel for wheelchair users

in collaboration with flying disabled and the SWS consortium, design studio priestmangoode unveils ‘air 4 all’ — a system aiming to revolutionize air travel for passengers with reduced mobility (PRM). the proposal enables users to remain in their wheelchair for the entire journey without reducing the seat count for airlines.

the launch coincides with the 35th anniversary of the air carriers access act (ACAA), passed by US congress in 1986, to guarantee that people with disabilities would receive consistent and nondiscriminatory treatment when traveling by air.

offering equal access to comfort, safety and dignity

through this project, priestmangoode wants to drive practical improvements to the aircraft cabin and overall aviation transport experience for severely disabled people — resulting in greater independence, dignity, and freedom of travel. ultimately, this new system will disrupt the air travel industry and create a new standard for the provision of accessible air travel.

“‘air 4 all’ will usher in a step-change in the industry and finally offer equal access to comfort, safety and dignity for all passengers,” explains paul priestman, designer and chairman of priestmangoode. ‘the biggest barrier in the past has been that giving greater space to passengers in wheelchairs would have reduced seat count and resulted in a loss of revenue for airlines. air 4 all solves this problem and has 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.’

install and attach: new standards for powered wheelchairs

‘air 4 all’ works similarly to ISOFIX /LATCH standards in passenger cars. both the airline seats and wheelchairs facilitate an installation and attachment system, enabling them to be securely installed in the aircraft cabin. moreover, the system is designed to certify different powered wheelchair types for flying; it will also interface with a wide range of airline seats. if no wheelchairs require access, the seats function as regular airline seats.

the system is initially designed for a 2+2 configuration. meaning, ‘air 4 all’ is envisioned to convert front row seats and install a wheelchair guidance and locking system to the aircraft – allowing for up to two wheelchairs per row to travel on a single flight. the consortium (SWS) will be working alongside sunrise medical to establish those power chairs that would be fit to fly and retrofit and create new standards for powered wheelchairs. this will ultimately enable passengers with the most challenging disabilities to travel.

chris wood MBE, founder of flying disabled states that ”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. with a leading global wheelchair manufacturer and the subsidiary of a major airline on board to develop the product, it’s a truly collaborative project. we’re actively working with all the necessary parties, including initial discussions with some of the key national aviation authorities, to ensure our solution is harmonized and fit for purpose.’

a first prototype of the ‘air 4 all’ system is expected in december 2021.

the seat design reflects equal access to comfort and safety during air travel for differently-abled passengers