Side-Slip Seats: A wider middle seat and quicker boarding
Sep 25, 2015, 1:25 pm
#1
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Side-Slip Seats: A wider middle seat and quicker boarding
I didn't see this posted. If it has, my apologies.
http://www.travelandleisure.com/arti...-seat-boarding
http://www.denverpost.com/business/c...lines-millions
It's definitely an interesting concept. The problem is that you'll be forcing people with aisle seats (and middle seats) to wait for their window seat mates or to board last (which means potentially losing overhead space).
And let's face it. A middle seat is a middle seat, even if it's 2" wider. Maybe if it was wide enough so that I could lie down and sleep, I would consider it.
http://www.travelandleisure.com/arti...-seat-boarding
http://www.denverpost.com/business/c...lines-millions
It’s called the Side-Slip seat, and one of the upsides of the design is that passengers “stuck” in the middle row get seats that are two inches wider — 20 inches, versus 18 inches of width apiece for window and aisle seats. The middle seats in the Side-Slip design also come with their own dedicated armrests, so there’s no need to battle it out with neighboring travelers for elbow space.
...
The design allows the aisle seat to “slip” sideways over the middle seat, making the aisle considerably larger—with room enough for a wheelchair or two people side by side. With more space in the aisle, boarding and disembarking times could be cut up to 33 percent, since that excruciatingly slow guy playing Tetris in the overhead compartments wouldn’t hold up the entire line.
...
The design allows the aisle seat to “slip” sideways over the middle seat, making the aisle considerably larger—with room enough for a wheelchair or two people side by side. With more space in the aisle, boarding and disembarking times could be cut up to 33 percent, since that excruciatingly slow guy playing Tetris in the overhead compartments wouldn’t hold up the entire line.
And let's face it. A middle seat is a middle seat, even if it's 2" wider. Maybe if it was wide enough so that I could lie down and sleep, I would consider it.
Sep 26, 2015, 10:22 am
#2
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I was certain I had seen another thread on this, including the "harumpf" posts noting that there's no way it would accelerate boarding times, most especially because it'll only take one row of these slip-siders to be extended to defeat the purpose. A few middle seaters boarding early...they have to get into their seat...that extends the aisle seat back into normal position...and suddenly there are multiple bottlenecks along the supposedly wider aisle.
Sep 26, 2015, 10:46 am
#3
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My first thoughts, too. It's hard to believe this guy regularly flies and has observed the boarding sequence. I can't see any way the aisle stays full width once the first middle seat pax boards. Complicated boarding procedures ("windows first, then middles, etc.) always bog down when families or late arrivers/connectors are involved. Add in potential complications because of early boarders and elites and it quickly starts to fall apart.
Fold-up seat bottoms might help, but likely not enough to offset the costs.
Fold-up seat bottoms might help, but likely not enough to offset the costs.