Solving the complex challenges around onboard accessibility
Air travel should be accessible to everyone.
That's the driving force behind Collins Aerospace's groundbreaking Prime solution, which enables passengers with reduced mobility (PRMs) to remain in their powered wheelchairs throughout their flight journey. This represents a significant step forward in making air travel more inclusive and comfortable for all passengers.
Inspired to create a solution, Collins’ Cabin Products team sought to provide PRMs with an experience comparable to that of able-bodied passengers. Designers and engineers on the team recognized that success would require more than just technical functionality – it needed to deliver genuine comfort and dignity to wheelchair users while being practical for airlines to implement and operate.
Securing the basics
An obvious yet critical component to creating a solution involves securing the passenger and wheelchair inside the cabin. The team identified a restraint system standard to accessible cars, buses and trains for anchoring a wheelchair in place. Integrated into the aircraft floor behind the forward galley and in front of seat 1B, the system uses restraints that can be easily accessed by ground and cabin crew. This setup, combined with the system’s “roll on and lock down” method already familiar to many wheelchair users, ensures quick and easy operation by both cabin crew and passenger.
Satisfied with the effectiveness and the simplicity of the restraint system, much of the focus went to understanding how the solution could provide PRMs with a standard cabin experience, while making it economically viable for airlines to adopt.
Prime features a restraint system integrated into the floor. This system is already widely used in other accessible modes of transportation like trains and buses.
The challenge – and opportunity – around cabin layout
A standard challenge to introducing any new solution into the aircraft cabin is maintaining an optimized cabin layout, or LOPA. While many airlines have indicated an openness to incorporate a wheelchair solution into their fleets, adding one at the sacrifice of one or more conventional revenue-generating seats has remained a sticking point.
“We knew that to develop a viable solution, we had to create a win-win situation for both passengers and operators,” said Shawn Raybell, Director of Business Development for Collins’ Cabin Products team. “The true opportunity was creating a solution that not only accommodates wheelchair passengers, but to go a step further and create a transformable space that can be configured based on the need at hand.”
Leaning into the LOPA challenge, the team took a more holistic look at the front of the cabin to understand how an integrated solution could create such a space.
(M)Flexing monuments expertise
The team realized that developing a custom monument structure to complement the wheelchair restraint system would support the concept of a transformable space. The utility of this space would be optimized regardless of the need to host a wheelchair-bound PRM on board.
In creating a monument that could support this goal, the team leaned on recent experience developing the M-Flex™ line, products that create greater utility of the space around an aircraft doorway.
A 2019 Crystal Cabin Award winner, M-Flex Duet flanks Door 2 and transforms the area into useable space during the cruise phase of flight. The monument’s flexibility enables cabin crew to use the space as a work area or can serve as a passenger self-serve space. During taxi, takeoff and landing, the monument elements are stowed to be completely unobtrusive to passenger boarding and deplaning.
“The industrial design of our Prime solution carries the DNA of our M-Flex monuments,” said Jeff McKee, director of Collins’ Customer Experience & Design team. “As we discussed our goals and challenges for this solution, it became more apparent that we could apply functionalities developed for the M-Flex monument to our Prime solution.”
Prime’s monument structure reflects this utility by transforming based on need.
The industrial design of Prime was inspired by the M-Flex family of monuments, which transforms an aircraft door area into useable space during the cruise portion of a flight.
A monument supporting different modes of operation
Prime’s monument supports PRMs by housing the same amenities offered to the flying public. A folding, height-adjustable tray table deploys across the passenger. A passenger service unit with reading light, air gasper and attendant call button are within easy reach. USB power outlets and literature stowage pockets round out the offering.
Notable is the flexibility the monument provides when the space is not used by a PRM. The monument can be extended to create additional crew workspace, deploying an extra work surface through an innovative mechanism that can accommodate half-carts below and provide valuable storage space. And when no longer needed for crew support, it can be converted into a self-service food and beverage station for passengers.
When in use by a PRM, Prime’s monument provides the amenities associated with a typical cabin experience
Prime’s monument can be deployed for additional modes of operation when not used by a PRM, including a work station for cabin crew or a self-service station for passengers
Working through the feedback loop
The Prime team used Collins’ presence at Aircraft Interiors Expo in 2024 to display Prime publicly for the first time – and not only to gather feedback from airline customers.
“For me, the Expo in 2024 was special because it gave us an opportunity to invite accessibility advocates with whom we have established an ongoing dialogue to come and experience Prime first-hand,” said Raybell. “Obviously our customer feedback is critical but hearing this additional feedback from people who would actually use the solution was invaluable.”
Notes in hand from the show, the team has fine-tuned the solution for continued conversations with airlines and disability advocates, including a return to Aircraft Interiors Expo in April 2025.
“Overall, we were very pleased that the core functionalities of Prime gained exceptional feedback by both airlines and advocates,” said Raybell. “With that, we’ve been able to focus on refinements that further enhance the cabin experience in all modes of use.”
The Prime solution was displayed at Aircraft Interiors Expo in 2024 to gather feedback from customers and accessibility advocates. A refined version of the solution will return to AIX in 2025.
The Prime solution is poised to help shape the future of accessible air travel. By reimagining how cabin space can be utilized, it creates a pathway for airlines to provide air travel experiences for PRMs without sacrificing operational efficiency or economic viability.
Importantly, it provides PRMs with the comfort and dignity they deserve.
“We view this as a significant evolution in providing an equitable experience for wheelchair passengers, one that allows the wheelchair user and caregiver to be last on and first off the aircraft, which is the complete opposite of what happens today,” said Raybell. “Prime stands to open air travel to many who avoid flying because of the existing challenges and current experience.”