At any given moment, up to 5,000 aircraft are in the skies over America. Ten million passenger flights occurred in 2016. The “Golden Age” of air travel may seem long lost in an era of heightened security and since the advent of mass affordable flights, but experts say that 
consumers can expect flying to be more comfortable and convenient in the coming years — even when you’re in economy class.
“To survive and thrive, airlines are focused on product innovations and comfort improvements to ensure repeat business from customers,” says Jennifer Coutts Clay, who has over 40 years of experience in airline operational management and marketing, including time with British Airways and Pan Am. She is the author of “Jetliner Cabins: Evolution and Innovation,” a new eBook app with a historical record and a futuristic view of the commercial flight experience, featuring over 6,000 images and interviews with airline experts.
Are you a frequent traveler? Clay says these trends may be on their way to you:
• Better seats: Ergonomically designed seat structures, climate-controlled seat cover fabrics, and contoured foam inserts with lumbar support are just a few of the cabin improvements being made to ensure more comfortable journeys.
• Ambient lighting: Passengers have more freedom to control their immediate surroundings through lighting. Thanks to advances in LED technology, many airlines are eliminating cold-looking lighting installations to present a customized rainbow of colors to suit the 
time of day, the specific area of the aircraft, or to simulate the gradual and calming process of sunrise and sunset.
• Connectivity: In-flight entertainment, streaming content options, and connectivity are expanding as onboard Wi-Fi becomes faster and cheaper. Power sources at seats will keep mobile devices running during long flights, giving passengers opportunities to work, stay in touch with those on the ground, and more.
• Greater accessibility: Airlines are making air travel more accessible for people with special needs. Recent advancements include aisle-sized wheelchairs, liftable armrests on seats, extra support bars and handrails, onboard literature in braille, special meals for a wider range of dietary restrictions, privacy curtains for use around restroom doors, and diaper-changing facilities.
• Enhanced experience: Flights are getting longer and more crowded. In response, airlines are aiming to address stressed passenger issues with more personalization, humanization, and options for how time can be spent onboard, including opportunities to move around the aircraft.
• Luxury amenities: In the first-class cabins of “gold standard” airlines, accommodations, amenities, and onboard service standards continue to improve. Passengers can expect concierge-like support to handle personal arrangements before, during, and after flights, and there is limousine service for ground transfers 
to and from airports. In the future, passengers can expect salon-style spas onboard and even gyms if they are willing to pay a premium.
More about the air travel experience is available by downloading Clay’s app at www.jetlinercabins.com.
“Preparing jets to accommodate airline passengers is both an art and a science,” she says. “As passenger expectations evolve and grow, you can expect significant improvements in cabin comfort and hospitality standards.”
Source: www.visitbrasil.com