Foreword
to the Paperback Edition of Jetliner Cabins
Since the publication
of the first edition of 'Jetliner Cabins', in 2003 – the year
of the centenary of the Wright Brothers' first flight – there
have been exciting developments in aircraft manufacturing, as demonstrated
dramatically in June 2005 at the Paris Air Show. At the same time, many
of the traditional 'legacy' airlines have faced a desperate struggle
for survival amid soaring oil prices (their second-highest operating
cost), ferocious fare wars launched by the low-cost carriers, the Iraq
conflict and terrorist attacks.
For the paperback
edition, we decided to keep the book in its original form, including
the celebratory ‘Letter to the Wright Brothers’, but to
update the introduction to Chapter 14/Concorde Unique and add an extra
section to Chapter 16/Ways Ahead focusing on next-generation jetliner
cabins: the Airbus A380-800, the Boeing B787 Dreamliner, the Bombardier
CSeries, and the Embraer E-Jets, Very Light Jets and Light Jets.
‘The Shape,
Size and Style of Things to Come’ (positioned near the end of
the book) is a series of picture essays made possible thanks to the
inspiring material provided courtesy of the design departments of the
four companies that dominate the commercial-aircraft manufacturing sector.
Special acknowledgements go to (the companies are listed in alphabetical
order): Mr Robert Lange at Airbus, Ms Mary Kane at Boeing, Ms Sylvie
Gauthier at Bombardier and Ms Marjorie Pujol at Embraer, for their expert
technical advice during the assembly of the computer-graphic cabin simulations.
In the coming
decades, if airline passengers decide they are ready to buy tickets
at prices even slightly above the 'rock-bottom fare of the day',
then the industry should be able to offer a menu of improvements
in cabin comfort in all classes of service. The high-efficiency
aircraft of the future will provide airline managements with opportunities
to develop new passenger-service products to appeal across the full
range of market segments, e.g., wider entryways and aisles, more
carry-on-baggage stowage space, increased legroom, larger windows,
bigger lavatories, atmospheric mood lighting, better air quality,
private suites, shower cubicles, fitness centres, computer work
stations, lounge bars, beauty salons, children's nurseries, libraries,
more point-to-point flying (instead of connecting over hub airports),
executive shuttles, private air taxis – the list is
endless! However, if passengers continue to demand air fares that cost
less than the combined taxi fares at both ends of the route, then
airlines will never be in a financial position to implement product
enhancements.
I am most grateful
to Ms Mariangela Palazzi-Williams and Mr Mario Bettella at John Wiley
& Sons for their continued help and guidance in the handling of
my book, and I hope that readers will enjoy the aerial journey offered
by the 100-plus airlines that grace the text and pictures of this contemporary
survey of the commercial-aircraft cabin environment.
JETLINER
CABINS