SANTO Seat Aims to Comfortably Accommodate Extra-Wide Flyers & Families

Designed to accommodate extra-wide passengers and booster seats, the award-winning SANTO seat could someday replace traditional models.

Bucking the trend of narrowing airplane seats, a German manufacturer is winning awards for a new design that caters to travelers, both young and old, who require more room. CNBC reports the oversize chair, SANTO — Special Accommodation Needs for Toddlers and Overweight Passengers — recently won the top prize for passenger comfort at the Crystal Cabin Awards.

Unlike traditional aircraft seats, which range between 17 and 21 inches of width, the SANTO seat is designed to accommodate passengers with special needs. According to a press release from the Crystal Cabin Awards, the seat would be 50 percent wider and installed at the back of the aircraft, where the fuselage narrows. When installed, airlines would be able to sell the seats to passengers who are too wide to fit in a traditional economy seat, or to families who are traveling with children in booster seats.

“Selecting the Crystal Cabin Award winners was a tough decision this year, as all finalists were of very high quality,” said Melissa Raudebaugh, chair of the Crystal Cabin Awards jury panel. “[Entries ranged] from renowned manufacturers to inspiring university concepts, which we will hopefully see flying soon.”

While it is unclear if the SANTO seat will be installed on commercial aircraft anytime soon, experts agree that special needs flyers will soon require accommodations not currently offered by airlines. Earlier this year, air travel expert and founder of Airfarewatchdog.com George Hobica called on airlines to create a better solution for wider passengers. Currently, overweight passengers and families are often forced to purchase an extra seat when they fly.

[Photo: Hamburg Aviation]