London-based design studio, Factorydesign, has announced that following “significant interest” from airlines in HeadZone, its Covid-safe passenger separation concept, it has partnered with Global Aviation an aircraft parts company, to produce and distribute the design.
The product concept, developed at the start of the Covid-19 epidemic, is a simple and affordable product designed to help economy-class passengers feel safer in their seated environment. The simple unit is slipped over the back of the seat and the ‘ears’ are then folded out to reinforce the side head supports, creating a shield that fits around the passengers’ head to give a greater sense of physical separation in the cabin.
The partially moulded design has a dual-layer lightweight construction made from recycled cardboard that is simple to manufacture. After use the shield can be folded up and reused on another journey, or disposed of for recycling.
Factorydesign envisions that HeadZone can either be distributed by the airline as a complementary item or sold to passengers for revenue gain. Custom client branding can be printed on the HeadZone unit, as can advertising as a potential additional revenue stream for airlines. Antibacterial coatings can also be included at an additional cost.
“We are delighted that the initial interest in HeadZone has been followed up by airlines who see its true potential and we are very pleased to be working with Global Aviation. Working with them we are focused on bringing to market a simple, thoughtful passenger focused product that can deliver in an environmentally considerate way,” stated Adrian Berry, creative director at Factorydesign.
