Have you ever wondered why airplane seats are designed to face forward and not backwards?
Why are airplane seats facing forward? This question may sound silly, but according to the researchers, rear-facing seats are really safe for passengers in the event of an accident.
According to Travel and Leisure, research results from several universities confirm that, in crash situations, a rear-facing seat will provide better head, neck and back protection.
Passengers are hard-pressed to find a regular plane with such a special row of seats: facing the rear of the plane. (Photo: T&L).
The first reason is that passengers automatically consider the front-facing seat to be normal and very difficult to change. This is something that has been ingrained in people’s minds since the advent of commercial aviation.
The biggest reason that prevents airlines from installing these rows of seats is cost . “In a collision, the passenger’s center of gravity on the seat will be higher, and it will take more force. Therefore, the seat itself, the connection point and the flight deck will need to be reinforced more.” David Learmount, FlightGlobal’s flight operations and safety editor, said. “This will increase the weight of the aircraft, leading to more fuel consumption.”
In fact, rear-facing seats are still installed on some aircraft, but you will have to pay an extra fee for this position. British Airways, American Airlines, Etihad or United Airlines first class all have rear-facing seats. Some customers pay for them for privacy – they can avoid the gazes of people moving down the aisle.
Besides, the perception of passengers also greatly affects the refusal of airlines to apply this design. A lot of people think they are more prone to airsickness when they sit facing the back. The fact is that the rear-facing seats on the plane are not as prone to getting sick as on the bus or train.
“When the aircraft reaches a stable altitude, the perception of forward movement is not as clear as in other ground vehicles,” Brian Dunlap, a pilot shared on Quora. “Only when the plane is moving on the ground, taking off and landing, can passengers feel it.”