Airline Seat - Auxiliary

Auxiliary

Generally, every individual seat position (except for the very last ones at the rear of the cabin) has a small set of auxiliary controls built into the seatback for the passenger directly behind the seat. The seat itself normally contains a somewhat small flip-out, extendable tray (which must be locked into stowage during takeoff and landing), and, on newer aircraft, a LCD television screen directly above the tray. Directly above the seat (on the cabin ceiling) is a small console for the passenger's use. The controls on this console include:

• An air-conditioning nozzle that can be tilted, swivelled, and adjusted by the passenger to either induce or reduce the output. This feature is found on most narrowbody aircraft, however, many airlines have chosen to omit them on many newer widebody aircraft (such as the Boeing 777).

• A reading light (often very similar in appearance to the nozzle) that can be turned on by the passenger for extra light, especially when the main cabin lights are turned off. The buttons to turn the lights on and off are usually located directly on the overhead console on most narrowbody aircraft, while on most widebody aircraft, the buttons are usually found together with the in-flight entertainment controls, generally located on the armrests, on seat backs, or through the touch screen interface on some personal televisions.

• A call button, that, when pressed, alerts an attendant on board to serve the passenger(s)in the row with the pressed button (the attendant is directed by a small light on the console and alerted by a quiet audio signal). As with the reading light buttons, the call button is usually located directly on the overhead console on most narrowbody aircraft, while they are found together with IFE controls on most widebody aircraft.

At window seats there are window shields for protection from sun light. They have to be slid up during landings and takeoffs by ICAO regulations and/or law. This rule is in place to provide visibility into and out of the aircraft during emergencies. Some airlines also require passengers to keep the window shields down on long-haul flights for a certain period of time (with a corresponding decrease in cabin lighting), in order to allow passengers to sleep more easily. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner uses new electrochromic windows instead of traditional window covers. Many armrests provide devices for reclining the chair, control interfaces for in-flight entertainment systems and ashtrays — although smoking is now prohibited on board aircraft by most airlines.