--- title: "These Futuristic Airplane Seats Could Make Flying Economy Better" description: "British design company Layer has partnered with Airbus to come up with an economy seat design that delivers on comfort and even fuel efficiency." date: "2019-02-26" modified: "2019-02-26" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/airplane-seats-prototype-layer-move" categories: - "Advanced Transport" tags: - "air travel" - "airplanes" - "flying" - "the digest" --- # These Futuristic Airplane Seats Could Make Flying Economy Better ![British design company Layer has partnered with Airbus to come up with an economy seat design that delivers on comfort and even fuel efficiency.]() *\Image: Layer\* ## Next-Gen Economy Economy seats lack padding, leg room and — often — a reliable source of in-flight entertainment. But British design firm Layer has heard your pleas. It's partnered with Airbus to design an [economy seat design]() for shorter flights that incorporates next-gen automation and connectivity — and it could even save airlines some fuel thanks to its lightweight design. And yes, we're talking about economy class, not business or first. "At Layer, we believe good design should be accessible to all," said Layer founder Benjamin Hubert [told *Dezeen*](). "All too often, new concepts for flying are focused on innovation in business class." ![]() ## The Move App The company's "Move" airline seats use "smart textiles" made out of a special polyester wool blend with embedded sensors. The material allows passengers to "monitor and control various factors — including seat tension, temperature, pressure and movement" according to [an official website](). Conductive yarn woven into the fabric allows the temperature of the seats to be controlled by passengers. The fabric also automatically adjusts the tension according to the passenger's size and weight during the flight. To adjust those settings, passengers use an app. ![]() Seats can also be configured with larger flat-screen displays, depending on the airline and the features it decides to offer. ![]() The seats will even prompt passengers to get up every once in a while inside the cabin encouraging them to stretch their legs and drink some water. Most unusual of all: Layer's prototype seats do not recline — to ensure everybody has enough legroom. **READ MORE:** [Are these airplane seats the future of economy?]() \[*CNN*\] ***More on flying:** [Tomorrow’s Airplane Cabins Could Be More Luxurious Than Your Apartment]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()