Extra Wide Seats: significant extra width for passengers

Airbus offers more comfort with A320 Family Extra Wide Seats

Based on the A320 Family’s long history of designing wide cabins, Airbus offers customer airlines the option to include Extra Wide Seats in their cabin configuration, without reducing the total number of seats in Economy Class. More than 50 Extra Wide Seats can be included in an A320 aircraft, providing passengers two, 20-inch (50.8cm) seats per row, one on each side of the aisle, instead of the usual 17-inch seats.

The timing is perfect for Extra Wide Seats given the airlines recent interest in generating ancillary revenues and offering upgrades for extra leg room. These wider seats tend to attract premium paying passengers willing to have more space. These passengers include mothers traveling with small children, large people, business travelers and passengers wanting greater separation from their neighbor.

Pitch or width?

While some passengers place more importance on width and others on pitch, both Airbus and Boeing have conducted independent research showing that when it comes to equivalent seat acceptability, 1-inch width equals 1.6-inch pitch. Accordingly, the +3-inches width difference of the baseline Extra Wide Seat equates to 4.8-inches pitch, which matches existing airlines’ “extra pitch” offers, but does not compromise the number of seats.

Based on airline feedback regarding extra pitch, the net present value of including Extra Wide Seats could represent on average a $3 million increase per aircraft in additional revenues over 15 years. Additionally, Extra Wide Seats could generate passenger loyalty, perhaps as a frequent flyer benefit and a revenue increase beyond upgrade premiums.

The Extra Wide Seat is an excellent upgrade with no penalty to cabin efficiency. The A320 is the only single-aisle aircraft in its category to offer this unique feature while also providing the largest overhead compartments and underneath seat volume for luggage. It gives airlines increased flexibilityand the 20-inch aisle seat is just one way to use it.

This is why the A320 Family aircraft are never called “narrow-bodies” like other single-aisle aircraft. They are just too wide for such a word!

For more information contact:
Patrick Baudis
Vice President Marketing, Latin America & Caribbean
patrick.baudis@airbus.com