Being in Control of Noise Levels Improves the Perception of Airplane Seat Comfort

The aviation industry is constantly making compromises when designing comfortable airplane cabins. Providing passengers with a pleasant acoustic environment without adding weight to the cabin structure is a field of tension that challenges cabin interior designers. The aim of this study was to inves...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Aviation psychology and applied human factors 2022-03, Vol.12 (1), p.3-11
Main Authors: Bouwens, Joyce, Fasulo, Luisa, Hiemstra-van Mastrigt, Suzanne, Schultheis, Udo W., Naddeo, Alessandro, Vink, Peter
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aircraft
Aviation
Business
Female
Human
Male
Noise Effects
Physical Comfort
Silence
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Summary:The aviation industry is constantly making compromises when designing comfortable airplane cabins. Providing passengers with a pleasant acoustic environment without adding weight to the cabin structure is a field of tension that challenges cabin interior designers. The aim of this study was to investigate whether noise levels affect the comfort and physical discomfort experienced by airplane passengers, and whether control influences comfort perception. To this end, 30 participants experienced three conditions (silence, aircraft engine noise at 75 dB, and the same noise with the ability to use earplugs), and comfort and discomfort were measured using a questionnaire. It was concluded that aircraft engine noise negatively affected the airplane passengers' comfort experiences. Having the ability to control this noisy environment with earplugs resulted in the lowest reported physical discomfort.
ISSN:2192-0923
2192-0931
DOI:10.1027/2192-0923/a000169