Airbus: We need to increase Seat Size to 18in...Passengers Losing Sleep
Airbus reveals new research into the impact seat width makes to levels of passenger comfort on board long haul economy flights; calling on the aviation industry to set a minimum standard of 18 inches (45.72cm) in order to improve the future comfort of long haul air travel.
The groundbreaking research conducted by Harley Street medical practice The London Sleep Centre, using polysomnography* to record every standard physiological sleep measurement - including monitoring brainwaves, eye, abdominal, chest and hip leg movement - on a selection of passengers, revealed that a minimum seat width of 18 inches improved passenger sleep quality by 53% when compared to the 1950s 17 inch standard.
Dr Irshaad Ebrahim MBChB MRCPsych of The London Sleep Centre commented: "The difference was significant. All passengers experienced a deeper, less disturbed and longer night's sleep in the 18 inch seat. They went from one sleep stage to the next as you would expect them to do under normal circumstances. Whilst in the narrower 17 inch seat the passengers were affected by numerous disturbances during sleep - which meant they rarely experienced deep restorative sleep. When it comes to flying long haul in economy, an inch makes a huge difference on passenger comfort."
Air transport has changed significantly over the last 50 years. There are more passengers, flying further for longer distances. In the last five years alone the number of flights over 6,000 nautical miles (13+ hours flight time) has increased by 70% from 24 to 41 daily flights. In 1998 no flight over 7,000 nautical miles had ever taken place. In the next 15 years passenger traffic will double and by 2032, the world's airlines will take delivery of more than 29,220 new passenger and freighter aircraft
