American aerospace company Boeing, currently facing challenging times due to production delays and an increase in aircraft malfunctions, has decided to take radical measures. According to a fresh company forecast reported by Bild, Boeing plans to increase the average number of passenger seats in its commercial aircraft to 190 by 2043, up from 169 in 2023. For comparison, the average number of seats in 2003 was just 138.
“We have looked at this historically, and the increase in seat numbers has been evenly distributed between transitioning to larger narrow-body models and densification by adding more seats to the aircraft. We believe this trend will continue,” explained Boeing manager Darren Hulst. The addition of passenger seats is typically achieved by narrowing the seats and reconfiguring lavatories and galleys. This allows airlines to maximize space within the aircraft, thereby increasing revenue, although it does result in some discomfort for passengers who find themselves with less space.
A notable example of this densification is the Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 used by Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair, which operates with a maximum capacity of 197 passengers. According to Hulst, this is the perfect example of densification, as the aircraft is no larger than a standard Boeing MAX 8 but generates higher revenue for the airline.
Furthermore, many airlines worldwide have discreetly removed the reclining seat function from their aircraft to avoid constant disputes between passengers.
