Airbus is pushing ahead with plans to pack 11 seats per row in the economy section of its A380.
The A380's current layout is for 10 across economy seating with a seat width from 18.5 to 19 inches, but this would be reduced to 18 inches in the 11-abreast configuration.
The extra-squeeze superjumbo would retain three seats on either side of the economy cabin but five seats in the middle – leaving one unlucky traveller hemmed in by two passenger on either side.
That one extra seat per row would increase the A380’s capacity by as many as 40 passengers.
As a yardstick, the Qantas A380 has 371 economy seats but at a tighter 17.5 inch seat width, Emirates has 399 to 407 (depending on the model) at 18 inches and Singapore Airlines’ superjumbos carry 311 to 399 economy passengers in 19 inch seats.
Airbus says its revised floorplan makes full use of the A380’s width by reducing the space between the window seats and the cabin walls for seating on the lower or main deck.
"What we've done is to make this optimised seating" explains Tom Williams, Airbus’ Executive Vice President of Programmes. "On the sidewalls of the A380 you have a really deep section, and we don't have to win too much there (for an extra seat)" Williams tells Australian Business Traveller. However, Emirates – which is Airbus' largest A380 customer, with a staggering 140 superjumbos on order – has already nixed the 11-across economy section for its fleet. "It puts a middle seat in the five arrangement which is not very attractive," Emirates president Tim Clark says. "Imagine you've got a problem and you have to keep on getting out and going to the loo." Read: Emirates to upgrade Airbus A380 economy but rules out 11 abreast seating The 11-abreast economy option is part of an overall rethink of the A380’s layout, driven by Airbus itself. The company has already floated a revamped A380 design with as many as 22% more seats, and says that airlines purchasing the A380 are now enlisting Airbus to make the most of the superjumbo's passenger potential. "Airlines today are asking us to help optimise their cabin" says Kiran Rao, Airbus Executive Vice President for Strategy and Marketing. "There is a particular space that should be occupied for first class" Rao says, with this being the forward part of the upper deck rather than the main deck. "There is also a particular space to be occupied by premium economy. There is a way to put economy seating at 11 abreast and still maintain an 18 inch seat width." "It's actually very easy to add 30-50 extra seats, and if we apply some (design) innovation and thought we can get more than that" Rao says. Also read: Airbus studying Airbus A380neo, but "no plans to build it" Australian Business Traveller is attending the 2014 Airbus Innovation Days media conference in Toulouse, France as a guest of Airbus. Get the latest for business travellers and frequent flyers: follow @AusBT on Twitter David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Airbus 'optimising' the A380 for airlines
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 May 2012
Total posts 76
I would avoid at all cost, just like 10 abreast 777, the 9 abreast A330 and the 8 abreast 767!
26 May 2012
Total posts 149
Who runs nine abreast A330s?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Aug 2012
Total posts 2204
AirAsia X and Cebu Pacific to name two.
Cathay Pacific - Asia Miles
25 Apr 2013
Total posts 542
Who runs 8-abreast 767s?
07 Aug 2012
Total posts 193
A couple of EU charter airlines like Thomson/Thomas Cook/Arkefly.
31 Aug 2013
Total posts 60
This will be much worse than 10 across on the 777, the design and computer graphics leave no room for the person's outside leg. The will have to sit with this legs sidewards the whole time...
QF
11 Sep 2012
Total posts 20
Aside from that middle-most seat, I think the window seat on the 11 abreat would be awful. Look where the sidewall meets the floor! About 1/3rd of the footwell room for the window passenger would be gone. I imagine that would be very uncomfortable.
QFF
12 Apr 2013
Total posts 1518
True, but as least poor fellow passenger can lean toward window using his/her pillow. Most middle is true nightmare.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
03 Jul 2011
Total posts 186
Like most things these days, designed by people who never use the product, or dont bother to get feedback from the users. These are designed for long haul travel - really 14 hours in the midde of 5, it was bad enough on an old A330 for 8 hours.
I think the design team should be made to sit in these seats for 14hours on a full flight before they start making these changes.
Good on Emirates for saying "No"
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
28 May 2012
Total posts 76
I agree with you colin, "designed by people who fly first and business class and would never ever fly economy". I cant see any airlines using this seating option.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
07 Mar 2014
Total posts 73
Colin
Did an airline run 5 wide on an a330 in the past, if so who was it?
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
17 Aug 2012
Total posts 2204
No, but 3-3-3 has been done on A330s before by AirAsia X and Cebu Pacific.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
03 Jul 2011
Total posts 186
Sorry, my mistake its was a while ago, and it was a MH B777
QFF
12 Apr 2013
Total posts 1518
I like printing on pic "High efficiency (sic!) 18 inch wide (sic!) seats". I cannot get what means "High efficiency" (I guess more profit per flight) and it definitely should say "18 inch narrow.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
04 Nov 2011
Total posts 361
Optimising is the new Enhancement which is the new Simplification...
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
02 Jul 2011
Total posts 1378
Given all the carriers currently are 10-abreast, what is Qantas doing with its extra 15" (1.5" x 10) compared to Singapore.
I don't recall the aisles being wider (or an extra aisle). Are we sure the measurements are comparable?
07 Aug 2012
Total posts 193
Unlike seat pitch, there is no standardised measurement for seat width. So some airlines measure width between armrests, some measure the width of the seat cushion.
I have sat in the QF A380 Y seat and found it noticably wider than a 737 or 747 seat, and slightly wider than an A330 seat (but that one was hard to tell).
02 Jan 2013
Total posts 142
I will pass on any airline who introduces 11 across on an A380. I struggle to fly 777's at 10 across!
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
07 Mar 2014
Total posts 73
Agreed, the first time I flew EK and saw 3-4-3 (777) I was amazed how they squeezed that extra row in.
An aisle seat on the middle set of 3 (D+F?) was always a winner on a 9 abreast 777 with a chance noone will be jumping over you. Kinda like 2-3-2 on 767.
29 Feb 2012
Total posts 5
if they took all the seats out, they could get a lot more passengers in.
Standing room only! Move down the Airbus. Is there any wonder it's called "cattle class"
Cathay Pacific - The Marco Polo Club
19 Apr 2014
Total posts 47
Qantas clearly isnt utilising it's space on the A380. How can it only provide 17.5 inch width with just a 31 inch pitch in such a large plane? Such numbers are expected of American carriers.
The only economy class A380 ive travelled in is Emirates, and I have to say the seat was very comfortable, with no compromise to aisle width and food trolleys crashing here and there. I imagine singapore will be even better. Both have their seat pitch as a 32 inch standard. While I understand they do not have P/E class, their business class is 1-2-1 (and yet they are still able to provide the same number of seats with greater comfort).
Seriously, I am astounded at how Qantas is unable to utilise the space given to them.
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
16 Aug 2013
Total posts 8
Imagine if a budget airline were to outfit the aircraft with all economy class with the 11 abreast main deck. How many seats, do you think?
Singapore Airlines - KrisFlyer
16 Aug 2013
Total posts 8
How come Qantas offers only 17 inches in width, whilst SIA has 19? They both use 10 abreast on the main deck, so why does QF cut back 2 inches?
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