Passenger rest compartments for remote aircraft spaces

Abstract

Passenger rest compartments may be incorporated into remote areas of an aircraft, either in the overhead crown region or in lower lobe cargo decks. Each passenger rest compartment, includes two-way audio communication with the flight deck and non-intrusive non-visual monitoring of the compartments and surrounding environment, to determine passenger presence, absence, and general well-being as well as environmental safety. Rest compartments may be integrated into rest cabins in the overhead or lower lobe areas, the rest cabins accessible from the main passenger cabin via an entry vestibule providing dedicated enclosed paths to the overhead and lower cabins. Additional deployable egress hatches may allow passengers to rapidly return to the main deck from the overhead and lower lobe cabins in the event of an emergency. Selected passenger seats (e.g., partitioned or other premium seats) may include private access to passenger rest compartments.

Description

Background technique [0001] Passenger aircraft are equipped with an on-board crew rest compartment (CRC) for short-term use by pilots or flight attendants. A CRC may include reclining seats, or more commonly, bunks that allow flight attendants to lie flat when not on duty (for example, on transoceanic flights or other long-haul flights that require multiple shift changes). However, the capacity of the CRC is low, usually only providing a maximum of 6 to 8 bunks. Furthermore, for safety reasons, CRCs are generally inaccessible to passengers, only directly accessible from the cockpit. [0002] Airlines may wish to provide their economy class passengers (e.g., those occupying seats in the main cabin (other than premium lie-flat convertible seats or enclosed compartments such as split seats or suites) with access equivalent to that provided by the CRC Provides access to berth facilities used on similar long-haul flights. Clearly, such compartments must meet regulatory requireme...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

Another challenge, however, is that airlines must facilitate easy access to passenger rest facilities from the main cabin by associated passengers (e.g., when the aircraft reaches a safe cruising altitude and passengers are permitted to enter the lounge compartment), while minimizing added weight and allowing Negative impact on interior space and passenger seating in the cabin replaced by the aforementioned access facilities is minimized

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