LY744 From Canada, joined Feb 2001, 5536 posts, RR: 11 Posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 22 hours ago) and read 2821 times:
I'll keep my question simple: why is it that on some airliners there is no window seat next to the plug-type overwing emergency exit, while on others (of the same type!) there is? This can commonly be seen on narrowbodies, such as the A320 family, 737s etc.
My best guess was that it had to do with the seats not lining up with the exit in certain configurations, and therefore having to remove the closest seat so that the seatback won't block the exit. BUT, looking at Boeing schematics of interior arrangements of the 737 (from their Airport Planning series) did not seem to confirm this.
Vandenheuvel From Netherlands, joined Dec 2008, 469 posts, RR: 2 Reply 1, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 21 hours ago) and read 2802 times:
Good evening airliners,
Here's my first message on the forum.
I'm not sure about this, but they may have left this seat out due to the specific pitch on the aircraft. On much pictures i can see de seats are right next to the exit. And not in front and behind.
I have just noticed, the topicstarter already suggested this option. Excuse me for this.
Starlionblue From Hong Kong, joined Feb 2004, 15872 posts, RR: 66 Reply 3, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 2650 times:
It may have something to do with the size of the exits. And not just the window exits, all of them. The requirement is everyone out in 90 seconds with half the exits. If you can't get people out in time, taking a seat or two away would probably speed things up.
Also as mentioned seats lining up with exits.
"There are no stupid questions, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots." - from Citadel by John Ringo
Some Airlines are of the opinion that less seats near the exit,enables more room to cater to an emergency evacuation.On some older B737s I've noticed the removal of the outboard seat is to enable quick removal of the Plug type doors as present on the classics.
JoseKMLB From United States of America, joined May 2008, 493 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 2609 times:
I think on DL's MD90s have a few seats missing on the exit rows as well
LY744 From Canada, joined Feb 2001, 5536 posts, RR: 11 Reply 7, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 5 days ago) and read 2568 times:
Quoting HAWK21M (Reply 4): Some Airlines are of the opinion that less seats near the exit,enables more room to cater to an emergency evacuation
Surely airlines wouldn't just give up a seat on good will alone. Is there some regulatory benefit to this practice? i.e. does a plug door, from the point of view of the authorities, have a greater capacity if it only has 2 seats in front of it as opposed to 3?
TZTriStar500 From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 1420 posts, RR: 9 Reply 8, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 2507 times:
There are a number of factors here, but it has mostly to do with exit arrangement and the trade-off between either a greater seat pitch at the exits or loss of the outboard seat to meet the 14CFR Part 25 egress requirements.
Basically, one can either keep the seat pitch consistent throughout the cabin, but lose the outboard seat at the exits or increase the pitch at the exits and keep the seat, but sometimes this makes it less desirable due to a short armrest and low profile (less comfortable) seat bottom cushion.
I think most airlines would chose not to lose the 2-4 outboard seats at the exits (loss of revenue potential) unless the increased pitch alternative would result in losing an entire row. It comes down to being highly airplane specific and what you can best make work with witht he airline's seat type, desired pitch, cabin layout, etc. while staying within the regulatory guidelines.
35 years of American Trans Air/ATA Airlines, 1973-2008. A great little airline that will not be soon forgotten.
HAWK21M From India, joined Jan 2001, 31201 posts, RR: 58 Reply 9, posted (4 years 3 months 2 weeks 4 days 16 hours ago) and read 2447 times:
Quoting LY744 (Reply 7): Is there some regulatory benefit to this practice? i.e. does a plug door, from the point of view of the authorities, have a greater capacity if it only has 2 seats in front of it as opposed to 3?
No regulatory benifit.But easier evacuation in emergency with plug doors [B737]
regds
MEL.
Luv2cattlecall From United States of America, joined Sep 2007, 1648 posts, RR: 2 Reply 11, posted (4 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 2012 times:
How come WN has a full row on the right, but a missing seat on the left on its exit rows?
When you have to breaststroke to your connecting flight...it's a crash!
TZTriStar500 From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 1420 posts, RR: 9 Reply 12, posted (4 years 3 months 1 week 4 days 12 hours ago) and read 1976 times:
Quoting Luv2cattlecall (Reply 11): How come WN has a full row on the right, but a missing seat on the left on its exit rows?
Its due completely to the reasons I stated in reply 8. For the WN configuration, the interior monuments (lavs, galleys, bulkheads) are not in the same locations on the LH and RH sides of the cabin so could not be perfectly matched on both sides nor is the pitch. You will notice that the rows on a WN 737 do not line completely line up. So, a full triple worked better on one side and using a double worked better on the other to maximize seating and still meet egress requirements.
35 years of American Trans Air/ATA Airlines, 1973-2008. A great little airline that will not be soon forgotten.
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