As passenger behaviour continues to evolve and airport terminals reimagine the customer experience afresh, airport seating has a surprisingly pivotal role to play, as Chloë Greenbank discovers.
This article was published in Volume 8 Issue 2 of Regional Gateway. To read articles similar to this, apply for your complimentary subscription today.
As global travel habits evolve, airport terminals are no longer places of transit – they are becoming multi-functional spaces, offering a place for passengers to rest, recharge, dine, work and meet with others. To help create meaningful passenger experiences combined with comfortable, functional spaces, seating manufacturers are becoming increasingly innovative with their seating and furniture solutions that address the evolving needs of today and tomorrow’s travellers.
One of the newer players championing this change is Australian company, Derlot, which officially launched its Gateway solution as the future of adaptive airport seating at this year’s Passenger Terminal Expo in April.
With over two decades of experience in the commercial and educational sector, Derlot saw an opportunity about six years ago to adapt its design ethos to the airport space.
Alexander Lotersztain, the company’s Global Director, explains that airports are increasingly adopting a hybrid identity, as spaces that blend hospitality, retail, relaxation and even co-working.
“We are passionate about bringing a level of quality to furniture in airports that assist in making the passenger experience a pleasant one,” he says.
“There’s often a lot of anxiety associated with travelling through an airport, particularly during pinch points such as customs or security checks. The right furniture can help passengers to relax, feel comfortable, connected even with home comforts.”
Customised solutions — Derlot’s approach to personalised airport design
Derlot’s approach with Gateway is focused on comfort, social interaction and customisation. The company prides itself on working closely with airport partners to understand their passenger profile and the relevant requirements.
“We have a standard range of products, but we also offer customised solutions, adapting our designs to meet each airport’s criteria, whether that’s cultural requirements or recreating a sense of place,” adds Lotersztain.
For example, he says it might be that the seating needs to consider the need for familial or group seating and helping passengers sit comfortably together while waiting.
“There’s also a strong push towards cultural localisation – using locally sourced materials like native timber or working with a local artist to create a custom print for the upholstery.
“We don’t want to make it clichéd, it’s more about combining comfort while reflecting the region and creating a sense of place.”
Lotersztain references Derlot’s collaboration with Woods Bagot at Adelaide Airport, where studies have shown that around 20 per cent of passengers per gate were spending time in the retail and hospitality areas, only making their way to the gate to board when gate announcements were made. This insight allowed the team to reduce the number of gate seats by 20 per cent.
“We were able to be more flexible with that space, indulging in slightly bigger seats and wider armrests enabling two people to share them for greater comfort. Beyond saving space, it was also about improving the passenger flow and mood. Passengers expect to be connected at all times, so demand for in-seat charging is now commonplace.”
An advantage of Derlot’s seating, notes Lotersztain, is that it is built from the ground up, so in-seat charging is factored in from the get-go.
“We’re not retrofitting and adapting our designs to accommodate power-integrated seats,” he says.
In addition, the company has been able to lean on its experience in other sectors and its partnership with OE Electrics Group to create intuitive cable management, concealed wiring and multiple charging options connecting up to 25 armrests at a time.
This configuration, says Lotersztain, allows for “adaptable configurations ensuring a clutter-free aesthetic while meeting the increasing demand for on-the-go connectivity”
“We don’t want to make it clichéd, it’s more
about combining comfort while reflecting
the region and creating a sense of place.”
Alexander Lotersztain, Global Director, Derlot
The personal touch — Agati’s balance of style and function in regional airport terminals
For many manufacturers, smaller airports offer an opportunity for personalised furniture design and layout.
US-based furniture company Agati has worked on multiple regional airport seating projects, where it says the focus is on delivering experiences that cater to travellers and represent the local community.
Agati installed Vista Modular Benches at Orlando International’s Terminal C. Image: Agati
Agati’s collaboration with Glacier Park International Airport in Montana saw the installation of its Gee Aviation Straight Chairs close to a cosy fireplace. This has recreated a lodge-inspired feel with generously proportioned lounge chairs.
Similarly, its installation of Vista Modular Benches, alongside Gee Lounge Chairs and Power Bars at Orlando International’s Terminal C, demonstrate how thoughtful design and a variety of furnishings can accommodate the different needs of passengers, delivering both style and function in a terminal space.
Having a variety of segmented spaces and creating micro-environments makes each space feel more personalised, according to Agati.
Chairs with walls, for example, offer semi-private places for passengers to wait, as seen in the “Living Room” at Dane County Regional Airport in Wisconsin.
This features Gee Aviation Lounge Chairs with walls to offer a quiet, calm space away from the traffic. In contrast, a tall counter and wood Sensi Stools offer a more convivial place to eat and work.
Zoning and flexibility — Zoeftig’s sustainable and long-lasting innovations in airport seating
A well-known brand on the airport seating scene, Zoeftig also emphasises the growing demand for modular airport seating.
Paul Williams, CEO at Zoeftig, references the current shift away from linear beam seating toward more versatile modular systems that can be configured for any passenger demographic.
Zoeftig’s Vista public seating system features a series of curves and nodal connections. Image: Zoeftig
Zoeftig’s Vista range, which was showcased at Passenger Terminal Expo in April and is due to be rolled out across five continents later this year, combines premium design and materials with a lounge-like comfort.
“It’s about providing everyone with a VIP experience and bringing that lounge feel into the general concourse,” says Williams. “It’s designed to accommodate all travellers, from families with children and groups of young people to solo adventurers and corporate passengers.”
The configuration of the seating can be tailored to fit the space and passenger requirements, be that a combination of curved and linear benches incorporating more traditional back-to-back seating – or collaborative islands that “provide a space for passengers to eat, work, meet with colleagues or perhaps play cards with family members and friends But it also allows for zoning, so you can have little private areas to help make travelling a little more personalised.”
Zoeftig’s Vista seating system is designed to suit airport lounges and departure gates equally well. Image: Zoeftig
Williams also agrees that in-seat charging is now a default expectation. Zoeftig’s seating delivers USB-A, USB-C, wireless and mains charging at various points, including under the seat, on the armrest and embedded in surfaces.
With sustainability high on the agenda, Zoeftig also takes pride in eco-conscious manufacturing, promoting the use of sustainable materials such as E-leather, which is made from leather off-cuts, and offering customer warranties.
“Zoeftig’s mantra,” says Williams, “is that the most sustainable seating is one that doesn’t need to be replaced. We offer up to a 20-year warranty on all our products because we’re confident in the lifespan.”
It’s a similar sentiment to that voiced by Lotersztain, who says that beyond using recycled materials: “It’s about producing responsibly, supporting local economies and designing furniture that is long-lasting.”
Derlot has also taken a decentralised approach to manufacturing, and outside of Australia has facilities in Mexico, Italy and Poland. This has helped reduce the carbon footprint of shipping large furniture and ensures shorter lead times.
Child’s play
Image: Rodeco
One of the exciting aspects of the evolution of airport terminals is the focus on inclusive design. And when it comes to younger passengers, keeping children entertained requires more than a seat. Designed for any airport space, Swedish company Rodeco’s flexible pop-up play areas are modular, so easy to set up and move, customisable and tailor-made to fit an airport’s identity. The company’s play areas have been deployed in airports including Vigo Airport in Pontevedra, Spain; Norfolk International Airport in Virginia, USA;
“It’s about providing everyone with a VIP experience and bringing that lounge feel into the concourse.”
Paul Williams, CEO, Zoeftig
Micro-workspaces — Jabbrrbox accommodating hybrid workers in airports
The rise in hybrid work models has also redefined what airport furniture needs to provide. With more people working remotely or blending work with travel, privacy pods and flexible desks are no longer niche – they’re becoming more commonplace in the airport environment.
Jabbrrbox, in partnership with International Workplace Group (IWG), plans to roll out over 3,700 work pods in transit and public facilities including airports over the next three years.
The Jabbrrbox 4U (single-user privacy pod) and Jabbrrbox 4ALL (four-person, wheelchair-compliant pod), which were debuted at the Airport Experience Conference in Washington at the end of March, are equipped with tech-friendly amenities and are designed to offer a high-quality workspace for those on the go.
“With the rapid adoption of flexible and hybrid models, work for many is no longer confined to a single office,” says Jabbrrbox co-founder and Joint CEO, Brian Hackathorn.
Jabbrrbox is rolling out more than 3,700 work pods. Image: Jabbrrbox
His fellow co-founder and Joint CEO, Jeremy Jennings, adds: “Together with IWG, we are delivering high-quality, accessible workspaces exactly where professionals need them.”
In the US, at Lafayette Regional Airport in Louisiana, Agati has introduced its POD Duos, providing comfortable seating in cosy booths, a tabletop surface, access to power and privacy for two people.
Ideal for colleagues who need to remain productive while on the move, the pods offer “a private haven in a busy terminal”.
As airports and especially smaller, regional ones, rethink their role and adapt to constantly evolving demand, seating and furnishing are leading the charge in transforming what were once described as waiting areas into spaces where passenger scan rest, recharge, dine, meet and work.
In an era when experience is everything, the seat a passenger sits in at the airport can be just as important as the seat they fly in.
Sensory spaces
For those with hidden disabilities, especially neurodiverse passengers such as those with autism sensory disorder, sensory process disorder, health conditions, air travel can beparticularlyoverwhelming and stressful.
Image: London Gatwick
Bright lights, crowded spaces, security screening and loud announcements can prove particularly challenging. In response, airports including Logan International, Minneapolis, Pittsburgh, San Francisco and Kansas City have all introduced sensory rooms to provide calming, therapeutic benefits and promote overall wellbeing. Bangalore International Airport (BIAL) in India is one of the latest to unveil a sensory room. Developed in collaboration with Incluzza, some of the room’s key features include multiple ambient lighting sources, a ball pool, crash pad and comfy sofa seating.
Frequently asked questions
How has traveller behaviour changed in airports?
As global travel habits evolve, airport terminals are no longer places of transit – they are becoming multi-functional spaces, offering a place for passengers to rest, recharge, dine, work and meet with others. To help create meaningful passenger experiences combined with comfortable, functional spaces, seating manufacturers are becoming increasingly innovative with their seating and furniture solutions that address the evolving needs of today and tomorrow’s travellers.
What is Derlot doing to ensure it meets its airport partners' expectations?
The company prides itself on working closely with airport partners to understand their passenger profile and the relevant requirements.
“We have a standard range of products, but we also offer customised solutions, adapting our designs to meet each airport’s criteria, whether that’s cultural requirements or recreating a sense of place,” adds Lotersztain.
How is airport design catering for passenger privacy?
The configuration of the seating can be tailored to fit the space and passenger requirements, be that a combination of curved and linear benches incorporating more traditional back-to-back seating – or collaborative islands that “provide a space for passengers to eat, work, meet with colleagues or perhaps play cards with family members and friends But it also allows for zoning, so you can have little private areas to help make travelling a little more personalised.”
How has hybrid and remote working affected airports?
The rise in hybrid work models has also redefined what airport furniture needs to provide. With more people working remotely or blending work with travel, privacy pods and flexible desks are no longer niche – they’re becoming more commonplace in the airport environment.
Jabbrrbox, in partnership with International Workplace Group (IWG), plans to roll out over 3,700 work pods in transit and public facilities including airports over the next three years.
Where can I read more articles like this?
To read articles similar to this, apply for your complimentary subscription for Regional Gateway.
About the author
Chloë Greenbank wrote for her first aviation publication two decades ago. Having started out writing for, editing and launching several inflight magazines she turned her focus to the B2B sector seven years ago when she was tasked with launching and editing Regional Gateway for the global airport sector. She is a regular contributor on all the titles in the HMG Aerospace portfolio and also reports for African and Arabian Aerospace, as well as Aerospace Global News. Chloë also moderates at aviation events across the globe and is never happier than when she’s outbound on a plane heading off somewhere new and preferably warm.
