Standing Airplane Seats - When you sit on a bicycle-like seat, your back is straight and your legs are in front of you.
We're testing out the latest version of Italian seat maker AvioInteriors' infamous "standing seat" currently on display at the Aircraft Interiors Expo 2019 (AIX) in Hamburg, Germany.
Standing Airplane Seats
Last year, at the same conference, Aviointeriors was the talk of Skyrider 2.0. It's back with version 3.0 and ready for aviation once again.
Standing On Airplane Seats: Is It Rude?
For starters, Gaetano Perugini, engineering consultant at AvioInteriors, strongly emphasizes that the concept is not "cattle class" and to draw in as many passengers as possible.
"The message is that we don't want thousands of people in the cabin. We want to offer a multi-class configuration, but if you want to reach the maximum passenger load, that's not possible today," Perugini told Travel.
Generally, the only way for airlines to reach maximum capacity is to equip the entire aircraft with economy seats. Skyrider takes up less space than the average economy seat (just 23 inches), so airlines are scrambling for economy seats when other passengers book other types of tickets on the same flight. We can make it possible.
"That means you can have standard economy, premium economy or business class and ultra basic economy in the same cabin. This is a game changer for airlines and passengers," explains Perugini. "This is the real reason for Skyraider."
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The design was first proposed in 2010, but several structural issues prevented it from being adopted.
The second version, which premiered in 2018, evolves the design and has poles to hold the seat.
This new version has no poles. According to Perugini, the 2.0 and 3.0 represent two different ways to attach and actually use the seat.
Perugini says there has been a lot of interest in the seats, but no one has tried or ordered them yet.
Aircraft Interiors Expo Hi Res Stock Photography And Images
"If you read the specs for an A380 or A320 or A321 or 737, they don't allow mounting with a pitch less than 28 [inches], but the Skyrider has a pitch of 23 inches," explains the engineer.
"If we have strong customers behind us [...] we can sit down with Airbus or Boeing and explain," says Perugini.
What is Travel's verdict on Skyrider seat comfort? Well, it's not as unpleasant as you might expect, but my expectations were low, so I won't say too much about it.
Sitting in the AIX mockup feels like sitting in the saddle of a bicycle. It's nice for a while, but I can't imagine you're only there for a few minutes and it's much longer.
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Additionally, it may not be suitable for all body types or for all body types. Being tall or short is painful and uncomfortable.
Even Perugini admits it's not always a pleasant experience, but he thinks it could work for shorter distances across Europe.
"To be honest, I don't think anyone would be happy to stay in this configuration for eight or ten hours," he admits.
"In the short term, if you want to save money [...] you can hold this position for hours without being completely comfortable. I think most people will accept it in a few hours. It's a three-hour flight."
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Even if you save money on the ticket, you are likely to feel sick and cough when you land. Plus, it's one thing to test it yourself.
Nevertheless, Pargni thinks the seat could take off – and perhaps if it's extremely cheap and as comfortable as possible, it could be attractive.
"I hope anyone would consider an opportunity like this. It's new. I have no background in this and can't make judgments based on past experience. We're exploring new worlds."
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John Jackson Tries Out Italian Company Aviointeriors' New Aircraft 'standing Seat' Which Has 23 Inches Of Legroom, Instead Of The Current Economy Class Average Of 30 Inches, At The Aircraft Interhiors Expo
Italian design firm Avio Interiors used the Paris Air Show to showcase the Skyrider 3.0, promising "ultra-dense" seats for airlines to cram more passengers into their planes.
The concept allows for 20% more seating capacity in aircraft and 'lower operating costs'. So Ryanair's typical Boeing 737, which its CEO Michael O'Leary has previously floated, could have 227 seats instead of 189.
The Skyrider, which has been in the pipeline for over 10 years, has thinner seats and armrest dividers that move passengers into a more supportive position. The 'seat' is slightly padded, giving you 23 inches of legroom or 'pitch' compared to the usual 30 inches.
The latest version of the blue and red seat didn't impress all testers. Germany-based aviation journalist Andreas Spiers said that when the seats were first unveiled in April, the seats were "off limits for more than 10 minutes". Another described the furniture as a "torture chamber".
Skyrider Standing Airplane Seats Could Make Flights Cheaper
Let me introduce the airplane seat of the "Skyrider". It's a novelty I don't need. pic.twitter.com/KRV4PgLa7I — Rodney Myers (@_RodneyMyers) June 20, 2019
American travel blogger The Points Guy has tried sheets before and said: Maybe I'm distracted by the discomfort, but 10 minutes in the saddle seat didn't seem too bad. "
Gaetano Perugini, engineering consultant for Aveo Interiors, said the seats could be offered in "super-basic economy" class.
"The message is we don't want thousands of people in the cabin. We want to offer a multi-class configuration, but if you want to reach the maximum passenger load, that's not possible today," he told CNN.
Aviation Company Mocked For New Standing Plane Seats
"It means you can have standard economy, premium economy or business class and ultra basic economy in the same cabin. It's a game changer for airlines and passengers."
Aveo told Travel that the seats "maximize the space between the floor and the body while maintaining sufficient comfort."
Nine years after it hit store shelves, no airline has yet committed to buying the Skyraider. Ryanair boss O'Leary previously said the airline was considering a "standing area" for its flights. He famously said that an airplane is just a 'bus with wings' and standing seats are 'bar stools with seat belts'.
Earlier, Aveo told Interiors Travel that airlines may be keen to use SkyRaiders on short-haul flights. It may not be, but we definitely believe that the short-haul aircraft will be a mobile configuration," the spokesperson said.
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If the concept takes to the skies, the seats will undergo extensive safety testing, but as it stands, seatback pockets, entertainment screens and shallow overhead lockers are unlikely to be needed, the governing Civil Aviation Administration (CAA) said. Seats must be "100% safe" to be viable.
A possible advantage of introducing Skyrider is lower airfares and such seats will be offered at unprecedented prices.
So if it's significantly cheaper flights, would you want to give it a try? Let us know in the comments section below.
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