One of the few comforts we economy class fliers have left is our right to strap on noise-canceling headphones, stare at the back of the seat in front of us, and pretend we're on a beach, or at home, or in a modest-sized jail cell—anywhere, really.
Now that right is at risk. Zodiac Seats France, an industry supplier, has patented a new seating configuration that rips out the (horrid) middle seat in favor of one that faces the rear. With "Economy Class Cabin Hexagon," you get more neighbors than ever before—and they are right in your face.
The goal of the design is "to increase cabin density while also creating seat units that increase the space available at the shoulder and arm area." To be fair, it seems to do that—because you're no longer facing the same direction as your immediate neighbor, you have more shoulder room. And if you're traveling with your kid or spouse, being face-to-face can be nice (we guess).
Why not move to standing-room only, with roller-coaster style restraints?
(Score: 4, Informative) by kaganar on Friday July 10 2015, @05:50PM
(Score: 5, Insightful) by pendorbound on Friday July 10 2015, @06:10PM
I don't mind facing other people on trains, but when your legs are overlapped with them, maybe not so much. You're not looking at them from across the (already narrow) space between the seats. You're looking at them from less than the length of your own thighs. We're talking breath smelling, nose hair counting kind of distance.
There are few people on the planet I really desire to be *that* close to for long... Make my coach class ticket *significantly* cheaper, and I'd consider it. If you're doing it & pocketing the extra profit, I'll find another way to get there...
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 10 2015, @06:20PM
Yeah, it's not like the old British trains you see in Sherlock Holmes where there is almost enough room for a coffee table in the middle, on a typical American commuter there is so little room that your knees are nearly touching. It's no surprise that people scramble for the few single all facing the same direction seats and failing that settle for the bench where at worst you're just shoulder to shoulder. At least on the bench you can somewhat put you feet up on the guard rail.
(Score: 2) by slash2phar on Friday July 10 2015, @06:25PM
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 10 2015, @06:47PM
In a train, if you don't like the people who sit next to you, you can get up and find a different seat. Often I have moved to quieter parts of the train to read a book in peace. People with children or ~people on the phone~ can make your commute hell.
Good luck finding a better seat if you're facing Boring McWon'tShutup
Also, don't think for a second that the cost savings for this mean cheaper flights.
(Score: 1, Touché) by Anonymous Coward on Friday July 10 2015, @08:01PM
My father never called it "coach" -- he always called it "steerage".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steerage_%28deck%29 [wikipedia.org]
(Score: 2) by captain normal on Friday July 10 2015, @08:12PM
It's not so much facing other passengers, but from the illustrations it seems it will be impossible to adjust the seat back. And I see no improvement in upper body arm and shoulder space. If anything it's less. Plus it looks even harder for the middle seat passengers to get out to go to the loo. This might be ok on short commuter flights of less than 1.5 hours, but anything over that would be a nightmare. And being stuck on the tarmac by a snafu in traffic control or open arrival gates, if too long could result in injury to the flight crew and damage to the plane by enraged passengers.
When life isn't going right, go left.
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Francis on Friday July 10 2015, @08:32PM
Seats shouldn't recline, as it is that space you get by reclining comes from the person behind you. The people in the front row benefit and the people in the back row can't do anything about it.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by captain normal on Friday July 10 2015, @09:15PM
Nice bit of sarcasm there. For a moment there you actually had me thinking you might be an airline cabin designer. But we all know that over the last couple of years the airlines have saved billions on reduced fuel costs, but have they reduced fares? Or added flights? Or looked to make passengers more comfortable?
When life isn't going right, go left.