I thought they were going to sell standing room only and pack people in like cattle. That's what I heard on the interwebs!

United Airlines Exploring Viability Of Stacking Them Like Cordwood

I don't see why they shouldn't strap people in standing. Think how much you'd save on ticket prices! Mandatory sedatives wouldn't add that much either.

If they remove the bicycle seats entirely then the airlines can do to us literally what they've been doing figuratively for years.

I think this looks great. My main complaint about air travel is that it doesn't do enough to compromise my potency. Glad to see that Airbus is finally working on a solution to that problem.

I could see that maybe working for a 1-3 hours flight max*, but that would have to be some serious no-frills cheap ass flight.

*I mean, it could work for that duration for those who fit within very limited height and weight parameters and have no disabilities that would make this kind of seating intolerable. But who cares about anyone else? Must. Cram. More. People. In.

@3 Besides, smelling people's farts prevents cancer!

@ 5 is right. It's one thing for male cyclists to voluntarily risk impotency, but forcing air passengers to take the same chance isn't cool.

Meh. Everyone complains about airplanes constantly... but then they keep searching for cheaper and cheaper flights. This is just supply and demand. Airlines are removing everything they can to give people cheaper tickets. This is what people are asking for.

If you want a better experience, fly first class, or spend more and fly an airline that has more comfortable seats, or find some other method of travel.

I've always wondered why they don't make airplane seats out of mesh, herman miller style. Comfy, and very slim, I'm sure they could pack another couple of rows in.

@9 Good point.

Don't different airlines have slightly different seat spacing? I seem to remember less knee room on United than some others.

Expedia, et al, should list the legroom next to the ticket prices. I'd cough up on extra $10 or so per inch of extra space.

They just keep piling on all the reasons why it would be better for me to just take extra time off and use Amtrak. I haven't flown since 2002-ish. I simply haven't needed to.

@9 Yea, supply and demand. Boeing supplies the planes and demands the largest tax break ever given to a company by a state. Billionaires make sure our wages are shit and people are forced to find the cheapest flights possible. First class...you think people can afford that?

It's interesting that in countries with progressive taxation and proper industry regulation the flights are cheaper and more comfortable.

The final slap in the face would be forcing us to pedal in these seats to save the airline gas money.

So... Airbus is building the world's biggest riding lawnmower? Hmmm... A fanjet engine is just a bunch of rotary lawnmower blades turned to the vertical, right?

It's not clear to me how a collapsible seat is going to meet air safety regulations, let alone work with any kind of functional seat belt. That current "bulky" seat back in front of you may not save your life in a crash, but if you're not belted in, it may save someone else from having their neck broken by your hurtling body. These things wouldn't meet 1967 automobile safety standards, and I'm not sure there even were any.

Awwwwk, my nuts!

@9 - congratulations, you are today's winner of the coveted "Let Them Eat Cake" award.

Come on folks, just fly fist class. no biggie.

How exactly is this supposed to work in Obese America (tm)?
Take a look at some of the heavily sloped seats on Metro buses that were designed in Europe. They are severely underestimating the girth of the average american.

A side note, I wouldn't mind the current sardine can seat arrangement if they put dividers between the seats so people back fat doesn't leak over into their neighbors space.

Mmmmm, leaky back fat.

Soylent Green is people-bacon!

@13, 16,
So don't fly at all then.

Or, shit, I don't know... stop buying ONLY the absolute bare minimum price tickets. Find airlines that have better service and buy tickets from them at a slightly higher price. When people only buy the cheapest shit available, producers will only produce cheaper and cheaper shit.

Or just nationalize the airline industry. I'd be fine with that.

This has Ryan Air written all over it.

Also hahahahaha @5

Just thinking about this makes my crotch hurt.

@3,

Too dangerous. The passengers need to be strapped in, but I'm pretty sure I saw a design schematic several years ago proposing strapping passengers to an upright board while in flight.

@10,

They're probably not sturdy enough.

@4, the airlines would probably argue that it's us screwing them, not the other way around. After all, the airline industry as a whole since its inception has made a negative profit (i.e., a loss). I'd say that they were a rather willing partner, though.

China built a nationwide Medium Speed Rail (165 mph) network in a single decade that unites the whole eastern half of their nation.

Sure it takes five hours to do what a 737 can do in 90 minutes, but you can stretch out, relax, read a book, grab a meal, engage in conversation over cribbage and poker.

I have short legs and don't demand anything of flight attendants, so I've always found flying to be a pleasure. Here's hoping Airbus never implements these awful things.

The thing is, for a lot of short flights, which aren't much longer than a bus ride, it doesn't make much sense to have cushy interiors. If a bicycle seat would save me $100 on a two hour flight, I would go for it.

@27 - any flight that short, it's not worth flying. When you add in airport time and other "overhead", you might as well drive, take the train, or an express bus.

@27

a two hour flight

@28

any flight that short, it's not worth flying. When you add in airport time and other "overhead", you might as well drive, take the train, or an express bus.

That's total nonsense. A two hour flight puts you south into central California at San Francisco or San Jose, southeast into Las Vegas or Salt Lake City, east into Billings, or north into Edmonton.

Drive times to each from Seattle:

To San Jose: 13 hours
To Las Vegas: 17 hours
To Salt Lake: 13 hours
To Billings: 12 hours
To Edmonton: 14 hours

And no, you can't train some of these conveniently or faster either. There is no express bus option to lots of these if any. There's no magic Bolt Bus. I go to San Jose periodically and used to go to Phoenix a couple times of year for work. 20-25 minute taxi to Sea-Tac, show up an hour before my flight, 2 hours to 3 hours travel time (Sea-Tac rarely in my experience has domestic delays). Four hours (maximum) of my day versus 12-17. Double check your math!

You've got to be kidding me. Those seats look highly uncomfortable.

I doubt if this will actually go to the consumer market anytime soon. Most likely they just wanted the patient because in the future they may use this seat design for military aircraft or something.
I for one would gladly pay more for a regular seat, as would most people. This looks so awful I really doubt there would be any consumer market for it.