[LuganoPirate]

Whilst accepting all the above and emphasizing that safety is paramount, I still wonder why airlines do not arrange seats to face backwards. Look at the seats of the FA’s, they face backwards and this is not just to keep an eye on the Pax, but also because it has been proven it is the safer way to sit.

It won’t make a difference if the plane breaks up midair but since most accidents occur at takeoff or landing this seating arrangement could make a big difference in saving lives.

Airlines say customers prefer to sit forward, but then we would also prefer more leg-room, more hand baggage allowance etc. Fact is we are accustomed and put up with what we get or are allowed, and for over half the plane who do not have a window seat, or have to sit in the middle rows, or those flying night legs it would not really make a big difference.

I wonder what the real reason is?

[Tom Otley]

I honestly think it’s the one that has been stated – passengers don’t like it.

It’s not easy to read on the link above to the 2005 article, but Sir Michael Bishop, who was always outspoken, and of course had terrible first hand managerial experience of dealing with the aftermath of a crash said just that.

In the piece, after a brief discussion of where the safest place to sit on an aircraft might be, the conclusion was…

“… the answer is anywhere on the plane as long as your seat is facing backwards.

Many armed forces personnel carriers have backward-facing seats, but, as chairman or British Midland Airways, Sir Michael Bishop has pointed out previously,

“There is no doubt that research has shown it is safer to fly backwards. However, the public doesn’t want it – they don’t want to fly backwards. Somehow they feel more frightened if they face backwards than forwards.”

The proof of this is that despite being one of the only airlines to have some backward facing seats in ClubWorld, British Airways won’t be promoting them for this feature. Passengers still want to fly for comfort rather than safety because flying is largely perceived to be safe. It would be commercially unviable for any airline to attempt that sort of seating configuration so, instead, we have the brace position.

(Of course it would also be pretty strange is BA were to promote half their seats as being safer than the other half)

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