Save a Horse, Ride a 747
Just when we thought every luxury had been stripped from budget air travel, an Italian design firm has found a way to give passengers 7 inches less leg-room. What’s the secret behind the squeeze? A saddle-shaped seat called “SkyRider.”
Aviointeriors Group released the design at a recent conference, and though no airline has picked it up yet, the firm is confident that it could appeal to discount carriers like Ryanair, which have already floated cost-cutting ideas from bathroom-use fees to standing room tickets. While standing might not pass snuff when it comes to safety, SkyRider seating may be the next best method of cramming more bodies onto a plane for the cheapest possible flight.
The core of the design concept is a seat that mimics a horse’s saddle. The sloping sides allows adjacent seats to be closer together, and the high “perch” positions a passenger’s legs more directly under the seat itself. That’s a good thing, because there is a measly 23 inches of space between rows. To glean the most from every square millimeter, the area directly under the seat serves as a storage shelf.
Understandably, a few concerns about comfort have arisen. Thought the design does offer significantly less space, and though the “seat” does bridge the gap between sitting and standing by forcing passengers to support some weight on their feet, it has been deemed suitable for shorter commuter flights. The designers did their best to assuage any worries, “The seat is like a saddle. Cowboys ride eight hours on their horses during the day and still feel comfortable in the saddle.” That may be true, but it remains to be seen whether thrifty travelers and providers will embrace lower fares or shy away from saddle sores.
- Kate Hopkins