Lufthansa Technik says it has solved the dilemma of safely transporting babies and children on aircraft with its new product, AeroKid.
AeroKid is being displayed here at ILA for the first time and according to the company is the first fully integrated child seat for passenger airlines.
“This is a fresh development to be used for commercial airlines in economy class,” says AeroKid developer Harald Merensky.
The company says that this solves the long-standing logistical problem of child seats on aircraft.
“AeroKid is a normal seat that can be converted in to a child seat. It has received a lot of interest from charter carriers. They could benefit by fitting at least 10% of seating in aircraft saving a lot of hassle,” says Merensky.
Before AeroKid the airline, child’s parents or accompanying adults would have to supply the child seat. But, AeroKid solves this with adjustable foot and arm rests and a seat area that can be lengthened or shortened, can be adapted to suit the individual heights of children aged between two and 12. AeroKid can use adjusting shoulder belts – it has special fasteners on either side of the seat – when required to guarantee optimum safety.
To plug the gap from newborn to two-year old toddler it can integrate a seat for this age group. The integrated baby seat unfolds out of the backrest and can be fully extended to form a bed, so that the infant or child can lie down comfortably and sleep, rather than having to sit throughout the journey, and potentially become restless.
Because an external child seat is no longer needed AeroKid reduces the logistical effort required by the airline and parents concerned. It also significantly improves safety as many child seats designed for cars are not compatible with aircraft passenger seats, and have not been tested for this environment.
Currently available lap belt extensions for infants to sit on a parent’s lap are also much less safe than the AeroKid says the company.
“We’re not a seat manufacturer or airline so it is up to the airlines to be interested in this product. And it is at ILA we hope to generate this interest.”
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Source: Flight Daily News
