Senior design capstone challenged me to find an innovation opportunity at the intersection of my passions and current microtrends. Vector Airlines combines my passion for airplanes and comfort.
For each of the four trend areas of commerce, design, technology, and culture, I found a microtrend relating to the airline industry. These key statistics frame the market size, showing just how many people are affected by air travel.
US-based airlines are replacing economy seats with premium seats. United will have 75% more premium seats in 2026 than there were in 2019 (New York Times). The airline industry is profit-centered, not passenger-centered because they are making people spend more money for more comfort instead of improving comfort in basic economy. The innovation opportunity is for a long-haul airline that prioritizes comfort without quality tiers.
I developed two in-depth user-personas from the eleven half-hour long user interviews that I completed. These are two extremes, but every person I interviewed gave me insight to new problems I wanted to solve.
Drawing from personal experience and the research interviews I conducted, I assembled 14 interview quotes and their design implications.
Vector Airlines removes quality tiers, giving everyone an equal yet custom experience. Other airlines offer premium class packages incentivizing people to spend more money to have a comfortable journey. At Vector Airlines, everyone flies comfortably in our single-cabin economy class. Vector evokes a magnitude of direction, boldness, and efficiency.
Sketches that led me to my final orthographic drawing that I continuously iterated on in CAD.
I developed the form in Fusion 360 using surface modeling, form modeling, and solid modeling. I conducted another survey to ask which structure cover looked best. Votes were tied between concept 3 and 4, so I combined the two in CAD.
Choose your experience. Unlike traditional airlines, Vector Airlines is free of classist cabins, offering an individualized, yet equal, flying experience. Instead of dividing the cabins by quality and price, we offer a single class, giving passengers the power to choose their preferences. When booking your flight, declare your onboard activity preferences and view other passengers preferences. Whether you like to get up to stretch and move or mostly sleep on your long flight, you can sit next to like-minded passengers.
Board stress-free. The boarding process is not affected by class hierarchies because everyone is equal which means boarding can be streamlined. Boarding from back-to-front in blocks of window seats, then middle seats, then aisle seats is an intuitive and streamlined process with a high satisfaction score (Myth Busters). I asked travelers their opinion on this boarding process, 90% of survey responses (70) were positive or neutral.
You are in control. You can either rest easy knowing you will be woken up to receive service, or you can turn the do-not-disturb light on to indicate that you want uninterrupted sleep and do not want to be disturbed for the snacks, drinks, or meal. The 11 interviews and 70 survey responses were torn between wanting to be woken up for meals and other services or to not be disturbed for services if sleeping.
Seat cushions: Dark teal from branding palette
Back seat pocket: Dark teal from branding palette
Plastic covers: Light gray
Seat cushions: Fire-resistant fabric weave
Plastic covers: Polycarbonate
Structure: Carbon fiber or aluminum
In-flight seat adjustments are available for each passenger to make their space their own, suiting their needs best. If they need foot support, they can pull out the footrest. If they get too hot or cold, they can turn on the heated or cooled seat. If they want to sleep, they can adjust the headrest to suit their head and neck. By improving passenger comfort, travelers will arrive at their destinations feeling less sore and stiff and feeling more well-rested and ready to go!
Welcome aboard! Please watch this video to get an all-encompassing look at how Vector Airlines operates.
This is the behind the scenes recording studio and storyboard of the video I made and edited in Adobe Premiere Pro.
I used Autodesk Vred on a Varjo XR-3 headset with a model from Formation Design Group to create an environment for Vector Airlines.
Disclaimer: This plane is set up in a 3-3-3 seat arrangement, but Vector Airlines uses narrowbody aircraft in a 3-3 arrangement for long-haul flights. This video's purpose is to show Vector Airlines seats in context.
I set out to accomplish the big task of designing an airline by myself. I learned how to reach out to experts and receive mentorship to take an individual project to another level. I was not afraid to go big and expand my idea of a more comfortable seat into a new way to operate an airline. Every project is not without failures, and I experienced crashes in Fusion, errors in Keyshot, and wishes to clone myself to be able to accomplish more work. Thank you Georgia Tech, Professor Roger Ball, and classmates for support on this project. It has been my favorite!
If you like what you see and want to work together, get in touch! I am looking for a full-time position.
kateasheridan@gmail.com