Coach Flyers May Finally Get to Sleep, But in Tiny Boxes

Billie Cohen
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Airbus has filed a patent for economy-class “sleeping boxes,” cubbies that stack weary travelers at the back of the plane. (Image: US Patent Office/Airbus)

Coach seats are just not made for sleeping, even on long-haul flights. Unless you have an eye mask, noise-canceling headphones, and some pills, chances are you’re going to spend the entire flight angrily awake, shifting around in a vain effort to find a comfortable position.

Happily, a solution might be in sight. Unhappily, it requires you sleeping in a cubby.

Who came up with this genius idea? Airbus. The aircraft manufacturer has filed a patent application for what it’s calling “sleeping boxes,” to be offered to coach class passengers. The drawing shows stacked, train-cabin-like beds that would be built into the back of the plane; each would have a cross section of just over 31 by 31 inches and be soundproofed so that you wouldn’t have to listen to your neighbor’s snores.

Related: Three Ideas That Could Change Air Travel Forever

Even though passengers would be packed away like sardines, the Daily Mail explains that they would still have all the ‘perks’ of regular coach, plus a few new ones: personal TVs, reclining pillows, reading lights, airbags, and video cameras so flight attendants could see if they needed anything.

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According to the patent that was filed, the pods would have a cross-section of 800mm by 800mm (a little more than 31 inches) and could be equipped with doors — although Airbus prefers no closures. (Image: US Patent Office/Airbus)

It’s not clear whether this idea will ever make it off the drawing board — as CNN explains, airlines frequently patent ideas just to stake a claim on them, and many never get beyond that stage.

Related: Flight Attendants’ Tips for Sleeping Well on a Plane

In this case, we can’t decide if that’s a good or a bad thing. The tiny coffin-box idea seems flawed, but the effort to solve a frustrating problem for coach passengers is certainly appreciated.

Would you pay to fly in a sleeping box?

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