Originally Posted by eminere

Aren't filed patent applications publicly accessible?

Originally Posted by ManchesterMark

As noted, BA filed an initial application in January and filed the application which has now been published in May. Additional information was included in the May application. There is nothing unusual about this strategy where developments are made to an invention included in an initial application.

What is more unusual is that the May application was filed with a request for early publication (which is why it's appeared now not in July 2015 when it would normally be published). BA requested that the search of application was accelerated under a program run by the UK Patent Office where applications which are in someway environmentally friendly are prioritised. BA's reasoning was that the invention provided "weight savings" thereby "reducing fuel consumption and atmospheric emissions".

What is clear from all this is that BA felt it was in their commercial interests to get the application published as soon as possible. There could be a number of reasons for this. It does suggest, however, that this is a 'real' product not purely something speculative.

Perhaps of greatest interest is the first application (the January 14 application) which is also available and includes photos of the proposed seat:

http://www.ipo.gov.uk/p-ipsum/Docume...20document.pdf