It would be possible to hand out different table designs to meet different passenger needs.

The tray table of the future may not be permanently attached to the seat in front. Ahead of the Aircraft Interior Expo in Hamburg this week, seat maker Recaro showed off a range of seats and accessories, including a new option for short-haul economy tray tables.

While most airline seats look and feel different, they are typically sold to airlines as an out-of-the-box solution. While the core seat is the same, there are many options for customizing seats, from colors to materials and accessories. The tray tables are a significant accessory that airlines and manufacturers could change.

Recaro proposes a radical new design for the economy tray table. Instead of being part of the seat in front, the company presents a detachable tray that can be handed to passengers as needed. As with any new design, the idea comes with some benefits and downsides compared to the traditional design.

Let’s start by looking at the pros. These benefit various parties, from airlines to passengers, and even the environment. A Recaro representative suggested that such a design would weigh 500g less than a traditional tray table.

When you multiply this across an entire narrowbody plane such as the Airbus A320 family, you’re well on your way towards saving 0.1 tonnes. Across a year of flying, this would add up to saving fuel and cutting emissions.

From a passenger's perspective, the tray table becomes much more customizable to an individual’s needs. Just have drinks? You only need a cup holder. Watching a film? Take a plug-in designed for just that. If you’re eating a meal, you could potentially even attach the meal tray, saving the need for a tray on top of a tray.

Finally, crew and cleaning agents can easily clean these trays. After a flight, they could be quickly collected and then placed inside a dishwasher. Right now, to clean a plane full of folding tables it is necessary to unlatch each, which is a cumbersome, time-consuming process.

Of course, like any idea, there are a handful of downsides. Firstly, the model suggests the crew hand out the appropriate tray table accessory to meet the passengers' changing needs during the flight, adding one more level of complexity to the job.

There is also the issue of adjustability. Right now, seatback tables aren't the most adjustable, but they do offer some adaptations to fit individual passengers. The most common is that tables can typically be slid forwards and back on tracks while down. In its current form, it seems as though the different options will all have a fixed height, angle, and distance from the passenger.

Ultimately, it's likely that it will take a little time if these designs do take off. Recaro representatives suggested that the company is looking for an airline willing to partner with it and a catering company to refine the designs before a widespread launch.

What do you make of the removable tray table? Let us know what you think and why in the comments!

Content Manager – Degree educated in Aerospace Technology, this certified pilot is a passionate specialist in European aviation. Working closely with British Airways, Lufthansa and others, Tom provides commentary on topical issues for outlets including the BBC. Based in Frankfurt, Germany.