Seat Concepts That Can’t Fly Today

Everyone knows flying is not the luxury it used to be. Narrow seats with less than adequate legroom can make even the shortest of flights miserable; however, that has not stopped some manufacturers from engineering ways to make the already small economy space even more claustrophobic.

Skyrider Standing Seat

Developed by Italian manufacturer Aviointeriors, the Skyrider would have people essentially standing, perched on a bike-like seat with their legs hanging down, for the entire flight. The seat has gone through various versions since its birth in 2010, with the Skyrider 3.0 being revealed at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in 2019.

When Skyrider 2.0 debuted in 2018, Avioninteriors said it was “the new frontier of low-cost tickets and passenger experience,” and if installed on aircraft, it would increase passenger capacity by 20% while still maintaining “adequate comfort.” However, people were skeptical of the Skyrider, calling it the “saddle seat” and describing it as a “crime against humanity.” One reporter even went as far as to call it a “torture chamber,” while others refused to think airlines would stoop to this level. Although surprisingly enough, low-cost carriers Ryanair, Spring Airlines, and VivaColombia have shown interest in standing seats, and Aviointeriors revealed they had received “great interest” in the design. Depending on the type of traveler you are, you could probably survive an hour or so flight in the Skyrider, but anything longer would not be worth the ultra-low airfare.

High-Density 31-Inch Spacing (HD31-3) Seat

Described as “atrocious” and “haunting,” Zodiac Aerospace’s (now known as Safran Aerosystems) HD31-1 is a beehive-like design that can fit up to seven people in one row on a narrow-body jet. Sounds like your worst nightmare, right? Well, it doesn’t stop there. The “economy class cabin hexagon” alternates between forward-facing and aft-facing seats (overlapping passenger feet and shoulders), has no armrests, and forces travelers to look at each other the entire flight. However, the manufacturer says the seat has benefits, including flip-up seats that make it easier to enter and exit the row, as well as additional leg and shoulder room. But let’s be honest, the honeycomb design is concerning, and not because the concept of giving passengers more space is bad, but because the execution is insane. Having two people in your peripheral, trying desperately not to make eye contact, can make for long, awkward flights. Not to mention the fact that it suggests airlines add a third dreaded middle seat to its configuration. So, for those of you that take the gamble of getting a randomly assigned seat at check-in, your chances for the middle just went up.

Fortunately, Zodiac Aerospace has abandoned the HD31-3 for other concepts. The company explained, “We are here to propose in the course of tradeshows some disruptive ideas (like HD31) to shake up to a conservative market with concept seats.” I guess they realized this seat wasn’t going to be all the buzz.

Airbus Bicycle Seat

As if flying in Spirit’s hard, recline-less seats on a four-hour flight wasn’t torture enough, imagine making the journey on a bicycle saddle. Airbus’ patented “bicycle” seat design makes me cringe just looking at it, and honestly, it is barely even a seat. It functions like folding chairs at a baseball stadium and has tiny armrests, no tray table, no legroom, a barstool backrest, and a safety strap. Its sole purpose is to cram passengers into as little space as possible, and Airbus even acknowledges that it would make the flying experience incredibly uncomfortable. However, they seem to believe passengers would be willing to give up comfort for ultra-low fares. Airbus explains in the patent filing, “To maximize financial returns on aircraft for low-cost airlines, the number of seats in a cabin must be increased, to the detriment of the comfort of the passengers. However, this reduced comfort is tolerable for passengers in as much as the flight lasts one or a few hours.” Personally, on a hop from Las Vegas to Los Angeles, MAYBE, I’d opt for this seat, but not for any longer than that.

Zephyr Seat

This concept may be an easier pill to swallow than the first three, but it still features a weird design. Zephyr is a double-decker, economy plus seat created by Jeff O’Neill. It is meant for wide-body jets and its goal is to combine the perks of business class into premium economy fares.

The design staggers the seats into a 2-4-2 configuration, offering aisle access for each passenger, and has a cubby hole for personal items. Furthermore, it can be converted into a lie-flat bed, although travelers would have to lie at an angle (and the cushions don’t look comfortable). Now let’s be clear, the Zephyr seat is not the worst seat design I’ve seen, but I cannot help but be concerned about a few things, including emergency evacuations and the potential drunk falling from the upper level. It also appears the concept lacks any mention of overhead bin space, or how flight attendants would be able to serve everyone in this configuration. Love it or hate it; this design is strange and requires a lot of tweaking before it should be considered by airlines.

What do you think about these designs? Would you fly in any of these seats in exchange for lower fares? Let us know in the comments!