Geven’s Piuma Sofa: The Bed Coming to Economy Class

For the many travelers who can’t sleep in flight but also can’t afford an upgrade to the front of the plane, a new economy-class bed/seat design could revolutionize the way they travel. Italy-based seat manufacturer Geven debuted its Piuma Sofa — a concept that would turn economy-class seats into a lie-flat bed — at the Aircraft Interiors Expo last week, reports Flightglobal.

The “sofa” effect is created by detaching the headrest from the top of the seat and affixing it to the front of the seat cushion. When all three or four seats in a row are given the same treatment, the result is a bed that stretches across the seats, wide enough for up to two adults. Check out the video below to see how it works:

Geven envisions the concept as a way for airlines to make extra money. Much as passengers can pay a fee at check-in to upgrade themselves to a premium economy seat with extra legroom, they could also pay $200 or so to move to an empty row fitted with the Piuma Sofa. The airline wins by monetizing unsold seats, and the flier wins by getting a good night’s sleep on an overnight flight.

This isn’t a brand-new concept. It’s inspired by Air New Zealand’s Skycouch, a spokesperson told Flightglobal, but it’s a less bulky option since there’s no need to store any part of the bed under the seat. Other airlines that already offer similar lie-flat seats in economy include China Airlines and Kazakhstan’s Air Astana, according to the Daily Mail.

South African Airways will be the first airline to debut the Piuma Sofa; Air Asia X has signed a letter of intent.

Would you pay an extra $200 to upgrade to the Piuma Sofa?