An aircraft cabin is the section of an aircraft in which passengers travel. The cabin is one of the most important elements in an aircraft. It is through the cabin that the airlines create the experience that they want to give to their passengers. Their expectations are evolving following the global trends in terms of comfort and services. Importantly the cabin is the real revenue generator for the airline and getting the interior layout and services correct is vital to an airline's success.
Commercial aircraft passenger cabins have undergone a significant change over the past few decades in terms of features, functions and equipment. Airlines use passenger cabins as a representation of their brand image and gain patronage by providing competitive features, comforts and ambience. In commercial air travel, particularly in airliners, cabins may be divided into several parts. These can include travel class sections in medium and large aircraft, areas for flight attendants, the galley and storage for in-flight service. Seats are mostly arranged in rows and alleys. The higher the travel class, the more space is provided. Cabins of the different travel classes are often divided by curtains, sometimes called class dividers though some airlines will not utilize a curtain between Business and First class. Passengers are not usually allowed to visit higher travel class cabins in commercial flights. Aircraft cabins contain passenger entertainment systems. Short haul cabins tend to have no or shared screens whereas long haul flights often contain personal screens which allow passengers to choose what to watch on their personal screen.
Passenger seats: Normally the seats are arranged six or eight abreast (depending on the type of aircraft). All seats are reclinable and are equipped with food tables with glass holders. The food table is attached to and folds into the back of the seat in front. The seats facing partition and bulkheads have a plug-in feature so that auxiliary tables may be used. The seats are adjustable and recline button is located on the inner side of the armrest. A storage pocket is attached to the seat in front just below food table. In an emergency, the seat cushions may be removed and used as life floatation device. In commercial airliners all passenger seats face forward. Seating arrangements for various aircrafts are based on the type of aircraft – whether narrow bodied or wide bodied.
Wide bodied aircraft: Wide bodied aircraft is a large airliner with two passenger aisles, also known as twin-isle aircraft. In the typical wide-body economy cabin, passengers are seated seven to ten abreast, allowing a total capacity of 200 to 550 passengers. The largest wide-body aircraft can accommodate up to eleven passengers abreast in high-density configurations. The largest wide-body aircraft, such as the Boeing 747 and Airbus A380, are known as jumbo jets due to their very large size
Narrow bodied aircraft – Narrow bodied aircraft is a single aisle aircraft with airline seats arranged 2 to 6 abreast. Narrow-body aircraft are normally used for short and medium haul flights. There are small narrow bodied aircrafts which can accommodate 90 passengers or less and large narrow bodied aircrafts which can accommodate more than 125 passengers in a two-class configuration.
Boeing 787-800 Dreamliner – This is the latest aircraft from the Boeing family and offers 46 flat bed seats with 170 degrees of recline and 112 standard seats in two class configuration. Seats in economy class do not recline but instead have a hard shell back. Instead of reclining, the bottom portion of the seat slides forward by 3 inches. This decreases seat pitch as knees come closer to the seat back; however personal space is preserved as the seat ahead does not recline.
Airbus A380 – This is the largest commercial aircraft in operations and is from Airbus family of aircrafts. A380 has two decks and it redefines the meaning of comfort in all classes of service. The A380’s main deck cabin is wider than any airliner in service today, allowing for more spacious seats and aisles – along with open spaces and access to additional amenities such as business centres, bar & social areas. Overall passenger comfort is enhanced by a number of additional technologies equipped on Airbus’ A380, including advanced lighting systems and new standards of in-flight entertainment. Cabin air is recycled every three minutes to keep the atmosphere fresh, while natural light is provided by 220 cabin windows. Four high-level air outlets – as opposed to the industry standard of two – keep customers refreshed during all phases of flight. Seating capacity ranges from 525 passengers in a comfortable three-class configuration to more than 800 in a single-class layout with wider seats than other aircraft in its class.
Given below are some normal seat configurations of Single & Double aisle aircrafts in Economy class. First and Business class seat configurations are different and varies from airline to airline.
Airbus A 320 family - Single Aisle - 3 x 3 Boeing 737-800 - Single Aisle - 3 x 3 Airbus A 330 family - Double Aisle - 2 x 4 x 2 Airbus A 380 - Double aisle - 3 x 4 x 3 Boeing 747-400 - Double Aisle - 3 x 4 x 3 Boeing 777 - Double Aisle - 3 x 4 x 3 Boeing 787-Dreamliner - Double Aisle - 2 x 3 x 2
Attendant seats: A self-folding attendant’s seat is located on the AFT face of the forward lavatory bulkhead near the FWD entry door and FWD partition of the AFT lavatory. Both seats accommodate 2 persons each and are spring loaded to retract position. Each seat is fixed with a seat belt and has shoulder harness also. A unit containing 2 oxygen masks is in the ceiling above the cabin crew stations.
Passenger utilities: On most aircrafts overhead cabin baggage racks on each side of the cabin provides storage for cabin baggage, hats, coats, blankets and pillows. For passenger safety, large or heavy items should not be stored in hat racks.
Passenger Service Units (PSU): A passenger service unit is provided above every set located conveniently under the hat racks. They supply air for cooling, oxygen and electrical services for the passenger’s and attendant’s use. Each unit contains three cooling air or ‘Gasper’ outlets, three reading lights with individual switches, oxygen masks, a passenger address speaker and an attendant call button. The seat row number sign call button illuminates along with single tone through the PA system when the call button is pushed.
Inter-communication: Flight interphone system is meant for communication between: • Cabin crew station and flight deck
• Flight deck and cabin crew stations
• Cabin crew station and another cabin crew station
PA (Public Address) system – A public announcement system utilizes a hand held microphone with push button to make the announcements. Announcements are also made from the pilot’s microphone and announcements take precedence over music if being played.
Lighting: Generally the passenger cabin lighting system consists of • Fluorescent light under the hat rack
• Incandescent /fluorescent lights above the hat rack and ceiling
• Individually controlled lights in the galleys, lavatories and in the hat rack mounted PSUs
• Both fluorescent and incandescent lights over main entry area.
Passenger cabin lighting provides illumination for all parts of the passenger occupied area. Fluorescent cove lights along the side wall provide general illumination. The cove lights are supplemented by passenger cabin ceiling lights. Cove lights provide indirect lighting by illumining the underside of the hat rack and the side walls. The ceiling lights which are incandescent are controlled by a toggle switch located above the hat racks. On advanced aircrafts, cove lights are called window lights and the fluorescent ceiling lights are controlled by a rotary switch at the door having four positions – Off, Sleep, Dim and Bright.
Entry lights – The forward and the aft entry thresholds are illuminated for boarding by incandescent and fluorescent lights on the ceiling and a threshold light near the floor. Switches are provided on the attendant’s panel.
Galley – Galley lighting is provided by fluorescent flights above the work area. Each light has individual switch which has three positions – Off, Dim and Bright.
Lavatory lighting – Lavatory lighting consists of one fluorescent mirror light and one incandescent dome light. The dome light will be on whenever the power is on in the aircraft. The fluorescent light is controlled by a micro switch on the door latch. When the door latch is closed, the mirror light illuminates. If the lavatory door is locked, the lavatory occupied lights are illuminated on the exterior and in the cabin. The exterior of the lavatory is illuminate by a pied light.
Reading lights – Every passenger seat has an individual reading light. They are situated in the PSU which also has their switches. Each PSU has three lights. Reading lights are controlled by the passenger from their seats. In advanced aircrafts, there is a rotary switch on the door panel in front of the cabin with 3 positions – Off, Seat and On. • In the off position all the reading lights in the cabin will be off. The passenger can use his switch to put on the individual reading light.
• In the Seat position, the passenger can control the light from the switch at the seat.
• In the On position all the reading lights in the cabin will be on and cannot be switched off by the passenger.
Cabin attendant seats – An incandescent pencil beam light is located above each attendant seat and is controlled by a switch at the appropriate attendant panel.
Emergency lights – Emergency lights both within and outside the aircraft come on automatically when the power fails and also can be switched on from the flight deck and the attendant panel. These lights are powered by self-contained batteries. These batteries are charged when the aircraft power is ON. Some of these lights can be removed and used as flash lights. They will remain illuminated for approximately 20 minutes.
