A revolutionary new aircraft seat design has been unveiled that promises greater passenger comfort and more efficient loads for airlines.
Premium Aircraft Interior Group (PAIG) will showcase its Freedom economy seating concept at next week”s Hamburg Aircraft Interior”s Expo, that builds on the company”s experience of supplying first and business class designs for British Airways (BA).
The idea revolves around positioning passengers in opposing directions, enabling shoulders to overlap and minimising armrest width between each occupant and allowing extra space for an additional column of seats.
While not to everyone”s taste, 12 worldwide airlines including one unspecified British carrier, have expressed an interest in the concept that could allow for an 8% gain in widebody passenger numbers.
”We have been working on this for two years with airlines on a non-disclosure basis, as well as Boeing and Airbus,” PAIG business development director Ben Bettell, told ABTN from Hamburg. ”We selected airlines for cultural reasons as certain societies have issues about sitting opposite each other - others like to be more gregarious.
”Typically, in a Boeing 777 cabin, Freedom can show a gain of 8% in passenger numbers and provide an additional 2” (5cm) of pitch.”
The idea certainly promises to stoke a heated debate, although airlines may not be able to resist the improved loads, while at the same time, trumpeting the extra space available.