Capsule Hotel Inspired Plane Travel

[Andy]

When traveling coach class on a long haul flight it is difficult to get very comfortable and sleep.

I believe that the main reason for this is that the interior of a plane is designed like a bus/coach where we all sit in chairs.

Why not go the way of Japanese capsule hotels where we have individual capsules where we basically lie down, have a TV screen and privacy? Then for most of the flight, we can simply sleep and watch a movie or 2 instead of watching a small screen inches from your face and struggling to sleep. Instead of in-flight meals we simply have snack packs and cans of beer etc. There would still be a corridor for exercise and visiting the rest room of course.

It would also be safer since our feet could face forwards against a wall and our capsule could be water-proof and able to float in the sea if need be and even ejected from the hull of the aircraft and parachuted back down to earth. In an emergency, the pilot could literally push a button that disintegrates the plane into capsules, flight deck module and bits that fall to earth such as wings and tail section. The parts containing people would deploy parachutes. Also, there could be emergency air and insulation in each capsule to survive fires.

In the future there may be very huge planes containing say 1000 people so this kind of idea may be a better/safer solution than the current flying bus maybe?

Other considerations for a very large plane would be guarding against missile attack with maybe reactive Armour on the underbelly of the plane and balancing the profiles of passengers to limit the impact on economic systems due to loss of the people aboard.

[Mikey]

LOL!  That is very interesting.  This is the first time ive ever seen something like this.  It is definitely an interesting idea.  I am sure that the main reason it doesn't exist today in the theory you have mentioned is because none of the plane manufacturers have came up with the idea yet.  I am sure it might cost a bit extra for the airlines but for long flights, it is really an interesting vision.  One thing that I would definitely want on my capsule though is an emergency release door.  Because for the capsule to float, it would most likely have to be air tight so water cant get in.  If that were the case, then air would be feed into the capsule from the plane and when there is no plane, I sure hope there would be an alternative way to breath. I'm sure it is nothing a little science and research could take care of though.  Might not be the best idea for those who may get claustrophobic easily.