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Link The 'knee rescue' seat is the latest in a number of attempts to solve the problem of cramped airline seating. Photo: Alamy

An airline seat that takes from the rich to give to the poor – in terms of legroom – could be the saving grace of the tall, cramped flier.

A "legroom adjustable" seat designed by B/E Aerospace can be moved backwards or forwards by cabin crew according to the height of the seats' occupants.

Adjustable wheels on tracks on the floor of the aircraft mean that a tall man or woman with squashed knees might be given a few inches relief if there is a child sitting in the row behind. Cabin crew will have control of the seats, via a smart device such as an tablet or smartphone.

The invention would require passengers to inform airlines of their height at check-in.

The designers, who have submitted an application to patent the concept, said the aviation industry needs to acknowledge that a 'one size fits all' approach to passengers is out of date.

"While passengers come in many sizes, children, adolescents, adults, men, women and with large height differentials within these categories, seat spacing in the main cabin of passenger aircraft is generally uniform except at exit rows," the designers said in their patent application, submitted last November.

"The one size fits all seating arrangement can cause discomfort for tall passengers, while a child or relatively small adult may be seated in an identical seat at the seat pitch, with more than ample leg room and in relative comfort."

They explained how once the majority of passengers are checked in, the plane's seats can be adjusted to better accommodate tall and short passengers.

"Even a relatively small incremental increase in seat spacing for the tall passengers can provide additional comfort with no loss of comfort to the much smaller passengers seated in front of the tall passengers," B/E Aerospace added.


The "legroom adjustable" seat - dubbed the "Knee Rescue seat" by Skift- is the latest in a number of attempts to solve the problem of cramped airline seating, with one of the more recent, the Knee Defender, proving controversial.

The small lock that prevents a passenger in front from reclining their seat has caused a number of rifts on planes since its invention, including an argument that led to the United Airlines flight being grounded.

More recently, legroom was not the issue, but elbow room, after a passenger sued an airline for back pain caused by, he claimed, having to sit next to an obese man.

The Telegraph, London

See also: When is it OK to recline your seat?

See also: Knee defender should be banned