Simple Geometry = More Seats In an Airline

New submitter innerpeace writes: New airline seat arrangement looks to increase passenger capacity. A patent application by Zodiac Seats France calls for a design that puts every other passenger in a row facing backward. That means that in a row of three fliers, the seat by the window and the seat by the aisle face toward the front of the plane while the middle seat faces toward the back. The design idea could fit up to 80 more passengers in a plane, depending on the current seat layout. Whatever downsides it has, if such a design is adopted, I hope it leads to a stronger adoption of a convention that those with window seats board first.

Comments

So will stacking us vertically

[gurps_npc]

It isn't about getting more seats in a plane, it's about doing so without making people uncomfortable.

This looks like it would work fine if everyone knew each other - but would suck if you had an annoying seat mate. Who wants to be forced to look at them - or have them look at you?

This design violates current social norms for personal space. As such I dislike it.

Re:So will stacking us vertically

[Dunbal]

But do you dislike it enough to pony up for business/first class tickets? No? Then suffer, cattle.

Re:I'm all for it

[ericloewe]

You clearly have no idea about airplane structural engineering, or you wouldn't even consider what you just suggested. The only realistic solution would require a massive weight increase and the added failure scenarios, which need to be carefully examined and worked around.
Furthermore, refueling an airplane does not take less than two minutes. That's the time you need just to plug in the fuel line.

Not to mention the absurd ground complexity. Airports would need several cabins per flight per aircraft model, plus room to store them, plus machinery to handle them...

Never, ever going to work.