Standing room only?
2010-09-22
It appears that the call by Michael Ryan to have standing passengers in aeroplanes (he envisaged them clutching on to straps, like on a London Routemaster doubledecker!) might have been taken seriously by at least one manufacturer of aircraft seats.
Step forward Italian company Avioineteriors, inventor of the SkRider. The concept of the SkyRider is, apparently, a cross between an aeroplane seat and the kind of saddle one might find on a moped or small motorbike.
On economy flights at the moment one finds a 'pitch' of 28 inches. Avioninteriors proposes a pitch of 23 inches, or even less. According to a statement from Aviointeriors, “We Understand That Some airline companies even want to go for a "Stand-Up Cabin? We are proposing a 23-inch pitch or less; the “SkyRider”. We are proposing a 23-inch pitch or less, the "Skyrider". “
Apparently the SkyRider is an: “ultra-high density seat presently completely engineered and to be finally tested.”
Why have they designed SkyRider? “The Skyrider Has Been Designed and engineered to offer the Possibility to help increase the number of passengers carried on each airplane.” To, as they coyly put it, “maintain sound profitability... which, even with a dual or three class seating arrangement, will allow maximum certified passenger capacity of the aircraft. With a much reduced seat pitch, the SkyRider preserves a comfortable position for the low fare passengers.”
Apparently the seat structure also provides space for personal baggage. Somewhere to stow your compression bandages, perhaps?
You might have seen pictures in the press of the SkyRider been put to the test at a travel trade show in the USA by a woman who, though only somewhat overweight, showed that the small tray set into the seat of the seat in the previous row was utterly unusable.
So holiday makers once they have settled their car into the APH airport car park might find themselves faced with the choice of: “standing or non-standing?” Well, at least they'll know their car will spend the holiday resting in spacious comfort!
