Passenger comfort has been a key consideration for airlines seeking to remain competitive. Understanding passengers' behaviour in the aircraft cabin, including their actions and postures, can help assess their comfort while flying. This study seeks to find passenger’s perceptions of comfort by examining their activities and body positions throughout a two-hour flight. The passengers' activities were observed and examined using an ergonomic assessment based on the RULA method. With the scores, the most prevalent in-flight activities and their accompanying body postures were identified and classified. The findings revealed that most passengers spent their time resting or sleeping, followed by using electronic gadgets and reading. During most activities, neck flexion continued to increase, resulting in increased discomfort, with the lower back (80%) and neck (75%) most severely affected. The positions of the neck, upper arm, lower arm, wrist, torso, and legs were analysed to identify postural behaviours. An elliptical structural diagram was used to depict these postures to better understand body movement and support. A questionnaire was also administered to determine discomfort driven by the seat and cabin atmosphere. Based on these results, recommendations were made to enhance the seat and cabin design, with an emphasis on improved support, usability, and adjustability. Particular attention was paid to design elements such as adjustable headrests and improved lumbar support, which are known to reduce neck and lower back discomfort.

Keywords

Human Factors, Musculoskeletal Disorders, Seat Comfort Analysis, Ergonomic Analysis, Ergonomic Risk Assessment.