Travel News

Bicycle-Styled Airplane Seats From Airbus

Airbus Bicycle seat
Written by Charlie

As an aviation fan and runner, there is one thing I have always wanted to do on  an airplane – run on a treadmill for the entire length of a flight. 🙂 I imagine if I could find the right pitch, I could someday entice some airline to go for that, but it is not happening right now.

However, Airbus, in a recent patent filing, may be meeting exercise enthusiasts half-way by creating new seats that are styled like bicycle seats – but without the pedals and wheels. Really, this is a thing! They have filed to patent the design of seats to reduce seat width and legroom so as to squeeze accommodate more passengers per flight.

Airbus Bicycle seat

The design for the patent for the Airbus designed bicycle seat

Airbus says that these are “simply conceptual” right now and that many things are patented that are never used (which is true). However, it is somewhat interesting that this is even in the thought/design of an airplane manufacturer! Unless they are charging pennies on the dollar of current airfare for a seat like that, I cannot imagine it growing a following.

Of course, can you imagine how you could market first class or business class on that plane? Instead of the pictures of big suites that take up so much space :), you could have a photo of this – the best seat in the plane!

"First Class Seat"

“First Class Seat”

Now, if Airbus really wants something to think about, how about actually putting pedals and chains with those seats? It would probably be a quite a bit more energy efficient that way (power the A/V system, lights, etc). You could even give passengers a slight refund upon landing based on the amount of watts produced in the air. C’mon, what do you think of that?! 🙂 I mean, Airbus is in the land of the Tour de France, so why not think like this?

HT: LA Times

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About the author

Charlie

Charlie has been an avid traveler and runner for many years. He has run in marathons around the world for less than it would cost to travel to the next town - all as a result of collecting and using miles and points. Over the years, he has flown hundreds of thousands of miles and collected millions of miles and points.
Now he uses this experience and knowledge to help others through Running with Miles.

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