Paradigm提出“超级经济舱”以提升乘客舒适度和航空公司收入

Paradigm Aerospace 开发了 BlueSky SuperEconomy，这是一款经济舱座椅，通过利用座椅下方空间可转换为躺椅。该概念旨在为乘客提供低成本的升级途径，同时为航空公司打造辅助收入引擎，而无需重新配置客舱。文章《Paradigm 提出“SuperEconomy”舱位以提升乘客舒适度和航空公司收入》首次发表于《Aircraft Interiors International》。

原文链接

BlueSky seats have a fixed back and a seat pan that can move a little lower, to access around 12 inches of under-seat floor space. Image: Paradigm Aerospace
BlueSky座椅采用固定靠背，座盆可略微下移，从而获得约12英寸的座椅下方地板空间。图片来源：Paradigm Aerospace

Paradigm Aerospace, a UK-based aviation engineering firm, claims to have created a new airline travel class that fits between economy and premium economy. The concept, named BlueSky SuperEconomy, is based around a fixed-back economy-class seat that passengers can opt to be converted into a comfortable lounger through an inexpensive upgrade.
英国航空工程公司Paradigm Aerospace声称创造了一个介于经济舱和超级经济舱之间的全新航空旅行舱位。这一名为BlueSky SuperEconomy的概念，核心是一款固定靠背经济舱座椅，乘客可以通过价格不高的升舱选择将其转换为舒适的躺椅。

A target market is leisure carriers operating all-economy-class layouts that are looking to expand their customer offer and gain extra revenue.
目标市场是采用全经济舱布局运营、希望扩展客户产品并获取额外收入的休闲航空公司。

Key to the design is a seat geometry with an internal recline mechanism that can create an internal recline of up to 40°. When deployed, the mechanism creates a claimed increase in passengers knee and leg room of up to 3 inches, and up to 12 inches of extra under-seat floor space to stretch out into without encroaching into other passengers’ personal space.
该设计的关键在于一种带有内部后仰机构的座椅几何结构，可实现最大40°的内部后仰。据称，当该机构展开时，乘客的膝部和腿部空间可增加多达3英寸，座椅下方还可多出多达12英寸的地板空间供伸展，同时不会侵占其他乘客的个人空间。

Paradigm says the seats can be converted from standard economy into a comfortable lounger within the same cabin footprint, but because the architecture uses the space under the seat in front, they become 140% space efficient. By comparison Paradigm’s figures indicate that a premium economy seat can occupy more than twice the cabin footprint of a standard economy seat, which would equate to 43% space efficiency (though the economics aren’t quite such a straightforward equation).
Paradigm表示，这些座椅可以在相同的客舱占地面积内从标准经济舱转换为舒适的躺椅，但由于其架构利用了前方座椅下方的空间，空间效率达到140%。相比之下，Paradigm的数据表明，超级经济舱座椅所占客舱占地面积可能是标准经济舱座椅的两倍以上，相当于43%的空间效率（不过经济账并非如此简单的等式）。

Paradigm Aerospace has not confirmed the process required to convert a seat into a lounger, but similar to flexible seats such as Air New Zealand’s Economy Skycouch, presumably it will be a simple process carried out by cabin crew.
Paradigm Aerospace尚未确认将座椅转换为躺椅所需的具体流程，但类似于新西兰航空的Economy Skycouch等灵活座椅，推测这将是由客舱乘务员执行的简单操作。

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A new business model for existing cabin layouts
现有客舱布局的新商业模式

Paradigm Aerospace does not propose that the BlueSky SuperEconomy seats be added to an existing economy-class cabin. Instead, the concept would work as a package of standard and convertible seats, replacing an airline’s existing seat inventory to extract the full value from the seating.
Paradigm Aerospace并不建议将BlueSky SuperEconomy座椅添加到现有经济舱客舱中。相反，该概念将作为标准座椅和可转换座椅的组合方案运作，替换航空公司现有的座椅配置，以充分挖掘座椅的价值。

However, there would be no need to alter the existing cabin LOPA (Layout of Passenger Accommodations), which is an important point as it means the seats could be installed without requiring changes to the overhead lighting, attendant call buttons and oxygen masks. The idea is that airlines can generate more revenue per seat, rather than fitting more seats.
然而，无需改变现有的客舱LOPA（旅客座位布局）。这一点很重要，因为这意味着安装这些座椅无需更改顶部照明、乘务员呼叫按钮和氧气面罩。其理念是让航空公司能够从每个座椅上创造更多收入，而不是安装更多座椅。

Similar to extra-legroom options, it is envisioned that the ancillary revenues gained from passengers paying to upgrade to a lounger seat could earn airlines millions of extra dollars. 97% of all airline seats flying are economy class, and 4.90 billion passengers travelled in economy class last year, including an estimated 1.63 billion that flew on long-haul, overnight, and on early and late sectors. That’s a lot of people who may be tempted to spend a little more for a chance of sleep.
类似于额外腿部空间选项，预计从乘客付费升级为躺椅座椅中获得的辅营收入，可为航空公司额外赚取数百万美元。所有在运营的航空座椅中有97%是经济舱，去年有49亿乘客乘坐经济舱出行，其中估计有16.3亿人乘坐长途、过夜以及早班和晚班航班。这意味着有大量乘客可能会被诱惑多花一点钱来换取睡眠的机会。

A key element of the BlueSky SuperEconomy seats is that they can be offered with the BlueSky Cabin Layout Management System (CLMS), a technology that varies the ratio between standard and upgraded seats on every flight according to passenger demand. Passengers would have the flexibility to upgrade online during the booking process, upgrade at check-in, or even upgrade on board.
BlueSky SuperEconomy座椅的一个关键要素是，它们可以搭配BlueSky客舱布局管理系统（CLMS）提供。该技术可根据乘客需求，在每趟航班上调整标准座椅与升级座椅之间的比例。乘客可以灵活地在预订过程中在线升级、在值机时升级，甚至登机后升级。

Paradigm Aerospace’s internally generated estimates claim that airlines equipped with these seats could potentially earn an extra GBP £2.4 million to £7.1 million per aircraft, per annum (depending on aircraft type, sectors and frequency).
Paradigm Aerospace内部估算称，配备这些座椅的航空公司每架飞机每年可能额外赚取240万至710万英镑（取决于机型、航段和班次频率）。

Paradigm Aerospace says the BlueSky SuperEconomy seats would be compatible with the Airbus A320, A330 and A350 aircraft families (and the A380), as well as most Boeing narrowbody and widebody aircraft.
Paradigm Aerospace表示，BlueSky SuperEconomy座椅将兼容空客A320、A330和A350系列飞机（以及A380），以及大多数波音窄体机和宽体机。

Paradigm is seeking foundation airline partners and investors to fund the certification and entry into service of the seat, and is opening additional options for licensing or sale of the technology.
Paradigm正在寻求创始航空公司合作伙伴和投资者，为座椅的认证和投入服务提供资金，并正在开放该技术许可或出售的更多选择。