Airbus idea for ‘bicycle saddle’ airline seat will have your butt protesting loudly

Low-cost airlines will be giddy with delight when they see what Airbus is planning for them – though passengers might not be so happy.

According to a recent patent application, the plane maker is looking to create a new kind of seat that resembles, of all things, a bicycle saddle.

Filed last month, the design came to light this week and reveals how the plane maker is considering cramming even more seats into the cabin, giving airlines operating short routes the chance to boost capacity and, in turn, profits. If anyone flies with them, that is.

You’ll notice from the drawing below that the new-style seat is, to put it mildly, spartan. In fact, I bet your rump’s aching just looking at it.

With little legroom, no headrest, no tray, and certainly no video screen, airlines will presumably have to price their tickets pretty darn low in order to persuade passengers to part with their cash.

Airbus, in its filing, is perfectly up front about the design, saying, “This increase in the number of seats is achieved to the detriment of the comfort of the passengers.” But it adds, “However, this reduced comfort remains tolerable for the passengers in as much as the flight lasts only one or a few hours.” One or a few hours?! That’s a perineal injury right there waiting to happen.

Only an idea? Nope

Of course, the fact that Airbus has filed a patent for the design doesn’t mean we’re about to see such seats packed into passenger planes.

As Airbus’s Mary Anne Greczyn explained to the LA Times this week, “Many, if not most, of these concepts will never be developed, but in case the future of commercial aviation makes one of our patents relevant, our work is protected.” Ah, so it is possible….

What do you think? If it comes to it, could you persuade your butt to fly on one of these seats?