United Airlines’ new tablet tray for tablets

The US company, United Airlines, have just unveiled their new First Class seats, due to be installed on some 200 short-haul aircraft by the end of next year. In this new layout, this innovative detail caught our attention.

In the centre armrest, is a tray table. Once unfolded, passengers have at their disposal a small compartment, which opens to provide a support function for their electronic equipment. An ingenious system that keeps your touchscreen tablet or smartphone in a hands free, vertical position, whilst conserving space for refreshments, eating or working.

It was after taking into consideration input from their evermore-connected customers that United Airlines came up with this solution. To ensure that this support is compatible with as many existing products as possible on the market, some 200 laptops and tablets were tested.

An innovation of PriestmanGoode, a well-known industrial design consultancy. Based in London, their many projects in the field of transportation have made them highly renowned. The First Class seat designs for Air France and Lufthansa, were conceived by them, as was the lounge on board the Qatar Airways A380. Their projects also includes work on the Chinese high-speed train, and the Yotel’s futuristic cabins, which we have already highlighted. The British designers worked for two years on the United Airlines new seat concept.