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Italian company, Aviointeriors has presented a new prototype of airline seats, at the Aircraft Interiors Expo, designed to leave passengers standing for short-haul flights.
If this seems like a new concept, think again. The idea was also shown in 2009 by Spring Airlines, a budget carrier based in China and again in 2012 by Ryanair President Michael O’Leary who also announced its installation once they were approved by aeronautical authorities.
The back rest sits almost at 90 degrees and the seat resembles a saddle while each row is separated by a small 58 centimetres. Under each seat there is a sloping surface for the passengers in the row behind to place their feet, however normal tasks such as reading a book or watching a movie may prove to be difficult. Aviointeriors engineers have indicated that the Skyrider 2.0 will allow for an extra 20 percent of seating as well as its low cost upkeep, allowing for a larger profit for airlines. In 2010, the company pitched the same idea, but without success.
There are many questions surrounding the design of the seats, including how passengers would store their carry-on luggage and what would happen in the case of emergency evacuation.
At this point, the Skyrider 2.0 is not expected to be seen in aircrafts in the near future, but the Aviointeriors is convinced it will become a reality. “We are convinced that it will be used on commercial aircraft, perhaps not immediately, but it will definitely be a possibility for short-haul flights,” a representative of the Italian firm told the British newspaper The Telegraph.
For now, the only question we can ask is, if it is worth standing for a cheaper ticket?
