Airbus wants to build significantly lighter aircraft by 2035. This should serve the environment and ultimately reduce costs. The aircraft manufacturer calls the vision “Vision 2035+“. There was a first preview recently, more details will follow soon.
The goal is less weight
Implementation of the plans would have a direct impact on the cabin and passengers. In the images of the performance, which Airbus also published as a video, you can see a significant reduction in material, be it on the seats or on the walls. The group says that you would have up to 40 percent less weight on board.
At least in the presentation, it looks quite nice – because the new cabin designs are apparently accompanied by large screens on which Airbus can display information about the flight or a kind of augmented reality. So it would be possible to place a starry sky over the cabin at night and pretend to have a clear view of the sky during the day.
Self-service before departure
The plans for what should happen with the on-board service seem a bit unusual. In order to reduce the weight that arises from stocking up for all eventualities, passengers should either pre-order menus or take them on the plane as a lunch box before departure. According to Airbus, this creates less waste and less cargo, because only what is actually needed is on board.
The group expects this measure to result in a weight reduction of 15 percent. Loud “forbes“Japan Airlines and Delta are already taking this route, offering passengers pre-departure meal choices to achieve just that effect.
In the pictures, the new cabins all look very airy and spacious. However, it remains questionable whether an airline will opt for the generous amount of space, or whether it will remain the case that more seats also mean more sales.