New airplane seats pack fliers into 23 inches of space

[mike r]

http://www.usatoday.com/travel/flights/2010-09-10-airlinestanding10_ST_N.htm

SkyRider airline seats pack fliers into 23 inches of space
By Charisse Jones, USA TODAY

Think your seat in coach is cramped? Take a look at the SkyRider. The new airplane seat, to be unveiled next week at the Aircraft Interiors Expo Americas conference in Long Beach, would give passengers an experience akin to riding horseback.

They'd sit at an angle with no more than 23 inches between their perch and the seat in front of them — a design that could appeal to low-cost airlines that have floated the idea of offering passengers standing-room tickets on short flights.

The SkyRider isn't headed for an airplane cabin just yet. But its designer, Aviointeriors, an aircraft seat design firm based in Latina, Italy, says several airlines, including some in the U.S., have expressed interest.

"We feel extremely confident that this concept will ... have great appeal to airlines for economic purposes," says Dominique Menoud, director general of Aviointeriors Group...

[Archae]

1. Designed by the Marquis De Sade...

[Hawkeye-X]

2. I know which airlines will buy it - Ryanair and Spirit

and I don't plan to flying on them anytime soon.

I'd rather fly Jetblue and their wonderful 34 inch seat space.

23 inch? Fuck that.

[gophates]

3. Good grief. When are we going to re-regulate this industry?

They have time to investigate Roger Clemens, but what about this?

[Regret My New Name]

5. Depending on the length of the flight, I'd might take such a seat if it saved me enough....

As in, if it allowed me to take a flight I may not have usually been able to afford.

[dkf]

4. Can we sue them for inducing claustrophobia?

[SmileyRose]

6. Oh Lordy, like air travel wasn't entertaining enough

I can hardly wait until Southwest demands a 2 seat purchase for the wide load passengers when all they have is these.

And how does one securely strap a toddler in a car seat to that monstrosity.

[Odin2005]

7. Oh, FUCK THAT!!!

[woo me with science]

27. We've come a long way, baby.

[RandiFan1290]

8. This is from The Onion, right?

RIGHT???!!

:crazy:

[BlueJazz]

9. I like the new "Super, Super Saver" Seats.

[CatWoman]

10. and the bastards are making millions charging you for your own damn luggage!!!

[metapunditedgy]

11. Don't worry, the rich will never have to use these. Only unimportant people

will be affected. So not a big deal.

[ThatsMyBarack]

12. Bad freaking idea!

Why do the airlines hate us regular folks so much?? :shrug:

[Mimosa]

13. That is an instrument of torture!

I'm 5'5" and I feel crammed against the seat in front already.

[Confusious]

20. Try being 6' 2"

I haven't flown in 10 years, and if these are the seats they put in, fuck if I will again.

I'll wait for a boat for that trip to europe someday.

[Liberal_in_LA]

21. What about fliers with a fat tummy or pregnant women?

[seabeyond]

14. and if it flies with short flights, only time before it comes to all airlines....nt

[Jakes Progress]

15. Now tell me again, why we don't have national rail.

Our tax dollars prop up the profits and expenses of airline travel. It is wasteful, uncomfortable, expensive, and dirty. We pay for the airports, the air controllers, and subsidize the losses of airlines. If we used half that money to build and maintain decent rails service, we would be better off.

[defendandprotect]

28. +1000% -- didn't Obama have a high speed rail plan ... ?

We've had a little progress in my area -- this is Central NJ --

they went for double-decker commuter trains and think they maybe rubberized the

wheels a bit? Less noisy somehow?

And, today at my library they were putting solar panels on the roof!!!

[jimlup]

16. They can now start steerage sections

[Buns_of_Fire]

17. They could drill a few strategically-placed holes and do away with onboard toilets.

Or at least install a Magic Fingers (tm) box on each of them to administer a cheap thrill (at $0.50/minute).

To my untrained eye, the survivability of a crash with that setup probably approaches zero.

[Wednesdays]

18. That's how they save space...the passengers are half-standing!

Nothing like standing through an 8-hour flight, not including time on the tarmac. :mad:

[woo me with science]

19. We are more and more seen as spigots for cash

with inconveniently attached feelings and preferences.

[lostnfound]

22. That does not look 16G capable. Won't pass FARs. nt

[Tommy_Carcetti]

23. That literally looks like my daughter's high chair.....

....yet somehow I think that would be more comfortable.

Good lord that looks horrible. Even the model seems unsure of it.

[AwakeAtLast]

24. My slipped disc is hurting just looking at that

Ouch!

[Initech]

25. Seriously... how many more ways can the airlines fuck with us?

[Manifestor_of_Light]

26. If you are tall, and feel superior to short people,

this is one time when I'm glad I can fit into a normal seat. I'm five foot three.

However, I have had people slop over the arm rests before and that is NOT comfortable.

One time I was on an aisle seat, the couple next to me saw their luggage going OFF the plane, and some customer service rep was hanging over me the whole time trying to talk them out of their panic.

So this guy's right hand was behind my head on the seat back, he was leaning over me with his tie in my face. YUCK.

I couldn't do a damn thing.