Airbus, an aircraft manufacturer, is offering extra-wide seats on its A320 family of aircraft, predominantly as a consideration for overweight passengers.
The company has announced that it is considering replacing some of its standard A320 Family seats, measuring 18 inches in width, with new extra wide aisle seats, having a width of 20 inches in total. The new seats will be offered in rows where the regular seats will need to be reduced to 17 inches in width.
The new seating is expected to be popular with over-weight passengers for whom the extra width will provide added comfort, although the seats will be offered at an additional fare. The new seats are also expected to be popular with business travellers, who are likely to be more comfortable with the extra space when operating their laptop computers, or parents that are flying with very small children.
The company is satisfied that it has been able to offer the extra width on its select seats without making any other changes to its designs or interiors. The extra wide seats are on offer after several airlines reported that they have received complaints from passengers seated next to obese travellers, with regards to the additional restriction on their personal space.
Suzana Hrnkova, the company head of cabin interiors marketing, said in an interview, ‘Over the last 30 years, human bodies have changed. We are bigger and taller, with larger shoulders and larger hips. Even our kids are getting bigger. So we have an idea to offer extra comfort for people who want to pay for it and generate additional revenue potential for airlines.’
