You obviously loved our April fool’s joke last Monday with the launch of the La Dernière class by Air France. Well, the reality may be even worse!
To invent the worst the airlines are always one step ahead
What surprised us in your comments was that you believed it for a substantial part of the reading, many only “waking up” when it was mentioned that the passengers serve the food themselves while the staff rests. That’s how much you trust the airlines to prepare us for a future of passengers that may not be very bright.
Well, even when you think you’ve thought the worst, airlines and equipment manufacturers are showing that they can go even further!
As we said, the seat assignment at the gate did not come out of our imagination but already exists at Delta.
The paid luggage compartment is for tomorrow
Last week at the Aircraft Interiors Expo, equipment manufacturer Diehl Aviation introduced a technology that allows you to book a spot for your suitcase in a baggage compartment just like you would reserve a seat. If you can book a luggage compartment, the airlines will be able to charge you for it and this is exactly what will happen.
American Airlines reserves some luggage compartments in economy for passengers willing to pay an additional $20. Fortunately, the staff is not in charge of enforcing it, so one wonders what the point is.
United Airlines’ basic economy fare prohibits the use of overhead bins. Frontier Airlines charges $25. And it seems that Ryanair is thinking about it.
The long haul in jump seat is for tomorrow too
Some of you didn’t even bat an eye when we talked about making passengers travel in a cabin equipped with jump seats. Maybe it’s because in reality we are not far from it.
Here’s a picture taken by renowned travel blogger Sam Chui at the same Aircraft Interiors Expo.
Well, it’s not a jump seat per se but I find it hard to believe that it’s comfortable. I think I recognize the Skyrider 2.0 from the Italian manufacturer Aviointeriors. Such a seat would allow to “store” 20% more passengers! (Yes..store because I don’t know what other word to use). Can you imagine that on the kangaroo road, or on a Singapore-Newark?
The products are there but is there a market?
Fortunately for us, these are only products and products that do not find clients do exist.
Can you imagine airlines able to offer such products to their customers?
Photo : horrified passengers by pathdoc via shutterstock
