One of the things I love about the A320 series in comparison to the Boeing 737 series is the personal space you have in the cabin. And we’re talking seat widths here with Airbus cabin 7 and 1/2 inches wider that the Boeing equivalent allowing up to 18″ wide seats installed in blocks of two pairs of three.
Well Airbus is pushing a new seating option for installation on planes.
The design is simple: have one larger seat in the isle at 20″, whilst reducing the centre seat and window seat to 17″
Old design (3 – 3 equally)
New design (3 – 3 with extended C and D seats)
The seats which are designed for “physically larger passengers” could generate $3 million in additional revenue over a 15-year period according to Airbus.
Airbus head of interiors marketing Zuzana Hrnkova states
“Providing adequate seat width, for those that need it most, improves the travel experience for those sitting close by”
Airbus claims that increasing the aisle seat width by 3in will not intrude on the comfort of other passengers. By cramming smaller seats in, I beg to differ as a 17″ seat on a transcontinental run is NOT my idea of fun.
At the moment, Airbus is marketing this concept to America customers, with a possible eye to rolling out further afield.
For some passengers, this will be great. For the rest of us in Economy crammed into 17″ seats – not so much….
I say jsut make a few rows of seats for LARGE people and leave the rest of us alone…I agree 17 inch seats SUCK!! AND why would they get the aisle, put them on the window!
Florence: they get the aisle because this is first and foremost a premium seat option to upsell people to. If you want one you will almost certainly be able to pay for it.
After cramming in an extra seat per row in their new 777s, I’m sure American will be first in line with this dumb idea on their new A320s!
I (actually someone else for me) would pay for a wider seat. Perhaps the bigger passenger might buy 2 of the small ones.
OK, I’m in a snarky mood today. First, this is not new news… Its been floating aroun the ether for several weeks. Second, the Lard Ass Seats (LAS) seats should be sold for 150% the cost of the smaller ones in that row and a 25% discount given to the poor sucker in the middle seat. Mr. or Ms. Lard Ass is still going to leak into your space. (Thank God they put the LASs on the aisle, but do you want to climb over Lard Ass when you need to pee?) And lastly, the arm rest between the LAS and the middle seat should be fixed, not raisable. If s/he still cannot fit, buy a whole row – in a different row. Do I hate or dislike Lard Assed peopple? NO. I do not. I simply do not want them using MY SPACE on an airplane. Since aircraft waight and balance are critical safety-of-flight (and cost) issues, the other alternative is to stand every boarding pax on a scale and set airfares by the mile/pound, luggage included. Snark night continues! Why? I just came off a long flight with a LARD ASS in the next seat. I’ve been blubberized enough to last a lifetime. Did she even try to contain herself? No. It just kept spreading. Lady, Please… get out of My Seat!
Firstly, I have no real experience of people whose weight impinges upon my in-flight comfort, but screaming kids kicking my seat from behind…yes. But even so, I would not suggest children be put to the back or indeed those who weigh more. I Find some of these comments offensive, even though I am not overweight – if you were talking about people of different nationalities or religions in this way you would be labeled a racist or bigot respectively. And although I think political correctness is going a bit too far in some realms – I think people should have a bit more respect for others. And if someone bothers you on a plane, why not complain and if there is room the stewards can often move you – sometimes even to business class if your complaint seems justified.
Yes. What about cost impacts for wide body people and for years now airliners will not consider us 6.6 ft tall. Airbus is trying to take the monopoly, we dont have to fly airbus. Wait for Boeing.