As much as any other aspect of flying, the humble armrest represents the erosion of comfort and convenience the average American passenger has faced over the last 30 years. On flights that are increasingly jammed full of bodies, the average passenger is so squeezed in that they have to share one (or both). But thanks to a clever new product, you might never have to elbow your neighbor in the ribs over an airline seat again.
The Soarigami is a clever little gadget that extends and divides the paltry elbow room of your shared airplane armrest. Resembling a piece of plastic airmail, the paper airplane-shaped divider slides onto your seat's armrest, allowing you to comfortably drape your forearm over the wings.
According to the makers of the Soarigami, the idea for the gadget came about when one of the company's co-founders became sick of fighting for elbow room with strangers. He sketched a design on the napkin that would make mid-air elbow fights a thing of the past, and voila, the Soarigami was born.
The Soarigami is not yet on sale, but will be available for pre-order in early 2015, for around $30. Seems like a small price to pay to avoid being elbowed in the face at 20,000 feet by some grandma.
[H/T City Lab]