Watch CBS News

Airbus Patents New Type Of Seats To Fit Flyers Of Every Size

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Whether you're slightly thicker in the hips, or just big-boned, one aircraft manufacturer has created a new design that may make flying more comfortable.

According to CBS, Airbus Operations, one of the top aircraft manufacturers is swapping the traditional individual seat for a bench. The bench will have a customizable format, which will allow for seat belts to be attached at different points to fit either larger or smaller passengers, according to a patent application with the U.S Patent and Trademark Office.

The design comes at a time when America is struggling with an obesity epidemic, given that more than one-third of U.S. adults are considered obese. Conflicts between obese and thinner passengers have even led to lawsuits, with one man suing Etihad Airways last year for claiming that sitting next to a "grossly overweight" passenger left him with back injuries, according to CBS.

The bench will also be of use to passengers with disabilities and mobility problems.

"In modern means of transport, particularly in aircraft, optimum utilization of the space available in a passenger cabin is of major economic importance," the patent application notes. "The cabin layout ... should be as flexibly, rapidly and easily reconfigurable as possible."

It is important to note the idea is simply just a patent.

Spokesman Eduardo Galicia Roquero noted, "It does not mean that the idea described in the patent is being developed for any particular production application."

However, if the idea is put to full fruition it may be a nice change to how many airlines are currently addressing weight differences.

Some airlines already require obese passengers to buy two tickets, such as American Airlines, which requires that passengers whose bodies extend 1 inch beyond the armrest to buy two seats. Southwest, on the other hand, has a slightly more flexible policy.

"Customers of size who prefer not to purchase an additional seat in advance have the option of purchasing just one seat …. If it is determined that a second (or third) seat is needed, they will be accommodated with a complimentary additional seat(s)," according to the company website.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.