Another airline considers standing seats

Another airline considers standing seats
By Amy Bryant


The CEO of Viva Aerobus, Juan Carlos Zuazua, is jumping on the standing seat bandwagon, saying that it will help provide what his customers truly want – the cheapest airfares.

However, per Skift, there seems to be one key concern with the innovative design Zuazua wants for Mexico’s budget airline.

No, it’s not comfort – as you’d think, what with standing on a long-haul flight and the sore necks – but the safety of passengers in the event of an emergency.

“The reality is, it’s going to be very hard to put on more passengers,” Zuazua told Skift.

Zuazua is certainly not the first in the aircraft industry to be curious about half-standing seats. VivaColombia are interested in how standing seats could be a possible solution to price and space issues.

While back in 2010, Irish budget airline, Ryanair, was prepared to offer tickets as low as $7 for anyone willing to stand on flights.

Skift spoke with Zuazua in Los Angeles about Viva Aerobus. Zuazua said he was the first in Latin America to increase his airbus to the maximum seat density, from 180 to 186.

Skift asked whether Zuazua would want to increase the seat density even more.

 “Yes, absolutely,” Zuazua said. “But the reality is that it’s going be very hard on an A320 to put more passengers.

“We already took it to basically to the stretch, because we moved the bathrooms to the back. We needed to sacrifice half of the galleys [to get to 186 seats], so the only other available option is a seat that can get certified in which passengers are not fully seated, but they are inclined.

“We were the first operator in Latin America to take what Airbus calls the maximum seat density on an A320. [It meant] going from 180 [seats] to 186, because we made a reconfiguration in the back galleys.

“We have 31 rows, of which half have 30 inches [of pitch]. Exit rows have 33. The back part of the aircraft has 29, and the last five rows have 28 inches.

“People who want to pay for the exit rows, which have 33 inches, are going to pay for the seat assignment. Customers who don’t care are going to take the 28-inch pitch seat.”

Quizzed on why no other airline CEOs seemed to talk about standing or half-standing seats, Zuazua told Skift, “Because very few airline executives are focusing on costs.

“The reality of our business is, 90 per cent of our time we’re focusing on how are we going to reduce the cost of flying.

“Airbus has been fighting for three more seats right now, to 189, to match the Boeing 737-800. So if you ask me, my opinion, I see perhaps three more seats on our aircraft, and that’s it.

“Viva is certainly an airline that would be considering packing a little bit more seats. Or perhaps, [we would do it in] half of the airplane, like we’re doing it right now.

“The fact is that the back part of my airplanes are a little bit more packed.”

Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au

    Latest comments

    1. …. I don’t get it… ok, now I do…. it’s ridiculous.. it’s all about the cost of flying not the cost to the airline… just because travellers want lower cost doesn’t mean you have to inconvenience them and risk their safety… people will travel no matter what… the low price is not what the travellers want… travellers want space and comfort… if space and comfort come with a price then travellers will pay for it… believe me ….and I’m not talking about the business class section…… you know what’s wrong with the airline business… it’s the competition.. they drop prices to get more business but the reality is their profit suffers.. and now airlines are passing the excuse to the travellers… like saying you asked for it you got it… if fuel is the biggest cost for airline then why take more passengers… additional passengers with their baggage means heavier flight and therefore higher fuel consumption… so what’s the point of reducing airfares to get more passengers… it’ soooo ridic….

    2. 2 things,
      1) seat pitch doesn’t equate to leg room, you can have 2 seat configs with same seat pitch but very different amounts of leg room, due to design of the actual seats
      2) if you have standing or saddle seats down back of aircraft, you could increase the amount of legroom up front, whether it be bus class or just economy with more leg room sold at higher price. You can’t exceed the maximum capacity of what each aircraft is certified for, in terms of max pax.
      On flights of say less than 2 hours it could work, or in OZ on the golden triangle.

viva mexico vivacolombia

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