Is this true? Rear-facing airline seats?

[pgsdiver]

Sorry if this is a bit old news. I was trolling through my emails today and saw this article from last week
Rear-facing Aircraft Seats Airline Safety

I'm no physicist but would it really be that much harder to make seats that faced rearwards? They seem to do it in bizjets.

Would any of you be willing to fly facing backwards?

Just got my brain working is all....
(Actually, more like a slow day at work)
Regards,
Peter

 

[markis10]

BA had them in J, it was different.

 

[Fruitcake]

They're not especially uncommon in business class. British Airways is probably the best known example. For the record, I'm a fan. (But I also detest QF Skybeds, so my preferences are a bit skewed).

Even outside of the premium cabins they're not unheard of - Southwest used to have a rearward facing row of seats in the exit row of some of its aircraft up to about 10-12 yearsago.

However, this is the first reference I've read that says they would be more expensive than forward facing seats - one of the arguments I've usually seen laid out for rearward facing seats is that they would be cheaper.

 

[BoyZeus]

UA do rear facing J seats on the upper deck of the 744.

 

[Skyring]

Some of the early Dash-8s had a couple as 1CD, directly facing 2CD. Not a popular pair.

As noted BA has them in J. I did JNB-LHR on a 744 UD and didn't mind it too much. These seats are in pairs, one facing forward, one back with a divider between. The window seats face back.

I think US military transport aircraft had seats all facing back for a while?

 

[pgsdiver]

I suppose the only time you'd really know you were going backwards was on the takeoff and approach parts of the flight. And on the ground of course.
When I first flew in Virgin Atlantic's herringbone "Upper Class" cabin it was slightly unusual to start with, I guess, but now herringbone seems so much more common and it's not given a second thought, so why not rearward facing? I'd do it if it were proven to be safer.
Regards,
Peter

 

[Pushka]

Southwest had them in 1996 when we were there.

 

[Happy Trails]

They've been SOP in the RAF for at least 50 years.
Other things being equal, I would happily choose them if offered.

 

[pauly7]

Some of the early Dash-8s had a couple as 1CD, directly facing 2CD. Not a popular pair.

Come to think of it I've never ever seen anyone sit in the reverse facing seats in the QFLink DH3's....!

Clearly they seem to be last allocated...

 

[Hvr]

Well all of the FAs are in backward facing seats. Was this done deliberately when the plane was designed or purely pragmatic so they can see forward facing pax?

 

[defurax]

As long as the seats face forward on the flight deck, I'll be happy with any configuration in the main cabin

 

[oz_mark]

Well all of the FAs are in backward facing seats. Was this done deliberately when the plane was designed or purely pragmatic so they can see forward facing pax?

The ones at the back of the plane face forward.

 

[Hvr]

The ones at the back of the plane face forward.

Pleased to say I don't sit down the back of the plane.

 

[codash1099]

I recall flying in rear facing seats in a BEA (British European Airways) Trident in 1969. The whole plane was done that way. Slightly weird but not a problem.

 

[markis10]

There is an average photo of the Southwest Lounge seating here:

http://www.blogsouthwest.com/blog/flashback-fridays-southwest-airlines’-interiors-over-years

 

[Skyring]

Well all of the FAs are in backward facing seats. Was this done deliberately when the plane was designed or purely pragmatic so they can see forward facing pax?

My understanding is that it's a safety requirement so as to observe the passenger cabin. The seats at the rear face forward for the same reason. There's no actual need to look the passengers in the eye.

Or vice versa.

There's also the practicality of having FAs seated beside the exit doors so they can open them in a hurry.

 

[brett-au]

IMHO, some of the evidence presented is not applicable here. The rear facing seats are an injury saver for aircraft that might be landing in rough/unsafe conditions and not international grade airports. I believe that when a modern commercial aircraft crashes, the forces generated are enough to scramble your insides, it's fairly irrelevant which direction you are facing.

My concern is having your legs break or be pinned when your seat slides in its rails. If you have a look at the asiana photos the seats moved together. I'm not sure how quickly I would be able to exit the aircraft when that happens.

A bigger question is would you swap your lap sash belt for one that is three point. Lap sash belts are illegal in modern cars because they cause such nasty spinal injuries. Many of those who survived the crash in SFO have spinal injuries because of this. I've often watched the FA put their 4 or 5 point seat belts on and thought how much more likely they would survive (as well as watch them tuck their hands under their legs).