Airbus pushing for minimum space on airline seats

Airline seats with less legroom and thinner seat back cushions have been part of a growing trend in an industry trying to increase profits by fitting more passengers into each jetliner.

Airline seats with less legroom and thinner seat back cushions have been part of a growing trend in an industry trying to increase profits by fitting more passengers into each jetliner. The squeeze has prompted an outcry from fliers, particularly big and tall travelers.

Now, French-based Airbus is calling on the industry to adopt a comfortable standard, at least for the seat width. It released a study last week that says a minimum seat width of 18 inches improves passenger sleep quality by 53%, compared with 17-inch wide seats.

“When it comes to flying long haul in economy, an inch makes a huge difference on passenger comfort,” said Irshaad Ebrahim, a spokesman for the London Sleep Center, which conducted the study for Airbus.

Airbus said it has always maintained a standard of 18-inch-wide seats but noted that many airlines have installed narrower seats to remain competitive.

The study was based on 1,500 participants at airports in Singapore, France, Germany and the Netherlands.

Airlines for America, the trade group for U.S. airlines, rejects the idea of a standardized seat width, saying each carrier should be free to install the seats that best suit its needs.

“We believe individual airlines should be able to determine fleet configurations that best meet their customers’ needs, as they do today,” said Victoria Day, a spokeswoman for the trade group.

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Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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