Wired: New airplane seating proposal
Jul 9, 2015, 5:51 am
#1
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Wired: New airplane seating proposal
This Wired article calls it "the most nightmarish idea for plane seating ever." (Their editors probably never spent five hours in the web "seats" along the sides of a USAF C-47, AKA DC-3, rigged for paratroops. I have.)
The idea, patented by seat supplier Zodiac Seats France, is called the "economy class cabin hexagon." It takes advantage of how people are wider at the hips and/or shoulders than at the feet, reversing every other seat in a row to fit more seats across the fuselage. The article says there are no current plans to make it into a product - or at least no public ones.
The idea, patented by seat supplier Zodiac Seats France, is called the "economy class cabin hexagon." It takes advantage of how people are wider at the hips and/or shoulders than at the feet, reversing every other seat in a row to fit more seats across the fuselage. The article says there are no current plans to make it into a product - or at least no public ones.
Jul 9, 2015, 12:40 pm
#3
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A few airlines already have some business class seats facing backwards. BA definitely is one and UA might also do it for their 2-4-2 configuration (I've never been on those aircraft).
Jul 10, 2015, 3:21 pm
#7
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And you thought a middle seat was bad
Jul 10, 2015, 3:41 pm
#8
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Lovely.
A new category of monetization opens up, upcharge so Lecherous [Moderator edit] can be seated between 2 Hot Young Things.
"Oops, I didn't MEAN to caress your thigh neighbour my hand just naturally lands there in this configuration."
A new category of monetization opens up, upcharge so Lecherous [Moderator edit] can be seated between 2 Hot Young Things.
"Oops, I didn't MEAN to caress your thigh neighbour my hand just naturally lands there in this configuration."
Last edited by Ocn Vw 1K; Jul 10, 2015 at 9:27 pm Reason: Per FT Rules re vulgar language.
Jul 10, 2015, 3:47 pm
#9
Join Date: Dec 2014
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People will complain about it, but no one is forcing them to sit in such a setup. Maybe this could serve as the ultimate form of budget air travel (excluding the standing "seats" design).
I could see an ULCC taking up something like this. As airlines like Spirit have shown, price is the main factor, and there are many people willing to give up even more legroom to save some money. The only question I have is if this is even safe for evacuation purposes.
I would never fly in this configuration, but that is because I am fine with paying the rate of the Legacies and WN. You get what you pay for, though most of the American public doe not seem to think this should apply to commercial aviation.
I could see an ULCC taking up something like this. As airlines like Spirit have shown, price is the main factor, and there are many people willing to give up even more legroom to save some money. The only question I have is if this is even safe for evacuation purposes.
I would never fly in this configuration, but that is because I am fine with paying the rate of the Legacies and WN. You get what you pay for, though most of the American public doe not seem to think this should apply to commercial aviation.
Jul 10, 2015, 3:55 pm
#10
Join Date: Jul 2014
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Give UP Leg Room?
People will complain about it, but no one is forcing them to sit in such a setup. Maybe this could serve as the ultimate form of budget air travel (excluding the standing "seats" design).
I could see an ULCC taking up something like this. As airlines like Spirit have shown, price is the main factor, and there are many people willing to give up even more legroom to save some money. The only question I have is if this is even safe for evacuation purposes.
I would never fly in this configuration, but that is because I am fine with paying the rate of the Legacies and WN. You get what you pay for, though most of the American public doe not seem to think this should apply to commercial aviation.
I could see an ULCC taking up something like this. As airlines like Spirit have shown, price is the main factor, and there are many people willing to give up even more legroom to save some money. The only question I have is if this is even safe for evacuation purposes.
I would never fly in this configuration, but that is because I am fine with paying the rate of the Legacies and WN. You get what you pay for, though most of the American public doe not seem to think this should apply to commercial aviation.
Jul 10, 2015, 4:22 pm
#11
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I think I'd prefer this to most economy configs. More shoulder and elbow room. I don't really see the problem with someone facing me, off to the side. Chances are one or both of us will be busy staring at a tablet or a laptop, or I could just wear shades and sleep.
Jul 10, 2015, 4:37 pm
#12
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I would actually prefer such a configuration when traveling with a partner. Makes conversation easier. More shoulder and elbow room, which is the biggest problem with Economy seating today. No way could this plane ever be evacuated quickly in an emergency though. For that reason alone I'll venture that it will never come to fruition.
Jul 10, 2015, 5:11 pm
#13
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But yeah, I don't think these would fly (pun partially intended) when it comes to evacuation safety. The ONLY thing I can think of would be the conceptual quest for enhancing the battle for armrests/shoulder room, as you point out.
I'm sure these are like concept cars: manufacturers come up with these futuristic alien-looking designs that never actually come to fruition. I don't anticipate the basic design and layout of a seat to change, seeing as they haven't really changed much throughout the history of civilization.