Airbus Saddle Seat Design Could Make Air Travel Even More Crowded

If you (like me) are already unhappy with the close quarter seating in economy class on commercial flights, then you will be dismayed to see the even more compact seating design proposed by Airbus in its recently published U.S. Patent Application No. 2014/0159444. This patent application discloses increasing passenger capacity by using narrow rows of a folding saddle seat design that requires passengers to perch on the seat rather than recline. Based on this design, the patent application touts the ability to pack four passengers into the space currently occupied by three standard economy class airlines seats.

To be fair, I can see how the saddle seat design may provide affordable air transportation alternatives to other mass transit options for short haul flights, but I certainly hope the folding saddle seat design does not become the standard seating in economy class in the future.

Fortunately, in an interview with CNN, an Airbus spokesman explained that while Airbus files hundreds of patent applications each year to preserve its ideas, "[m]any patents never become a reality and there is no expectation that this one would."

Sources: CNN online article entitled "Airbus Files Patent for Saddle Seats on Planes," available at: http://www.cnn.com/2014/07/17/travel/airbus-saddle-seat-patent/index.html?hpt=hp_t2 U.S. Patent Publication No. 2014/0159444 entitled "Seating Device Comprising a Forward-Foldable Backrest", available at: http://worldwide.espacenet.com/publicationDetails/originalDocument?CC=US&NR=2014159444A1&KC=A1&FT=D&ND=3&date=20140612&DB=EPODOC&locale=en_EP

Klemchuk LLP is an Intellectual Property (IP), Technology, Internet, and Business law firm located in Dallas, TX.  The firm offers comprehensive legal services including litigation and enforcement of all forms of IP as well as registration and licensing of patents, trademarks, trade dress, and copyrights.  The firm also provides a wide range of technology, Internet, e-commerce, and business services including business planning, formation, and financing, mergers and acquisitions, business litigation, data privacy, and domain name dispute resolution.  Additional information about the IP law firm and its IP law attorneys may be found at www.klemchuk.com.

Klemchuk LLP hosts Culture Counts, a blog devoted to the discussion of law firm culture and corporate core values with frequent topics about positive work environment, conscious capitalism, entrepreneurial management, positive workplace culture, workplace productivity, and corporate core values.