Aviation

BA Passenger reports Septic Injury, After Staff Uses Food Trolley for Disembarkation

After being stranded on a British Airways flight for hours, a passenger who landed at Vancouver International Airport claims he nearly lost his foot due to a septic injury. He was only able to get off the aircraft when paramedics loaded him onto two airline food trolleys.

The event left 63-year-old Geoffrey Schneiderman, who uses a wheelchair and has multiple sclerosis, with necrotic tissue in his foot, lingering trauma, and anxiety related to small spaces.

Crew members on the British Airways flight reported that there was no eagle lift at the Vancouver airport when they landed. Eagle lifts are devices that enable wheelchair-bound passengers to safely exit aircraft. Paramedics were called in to help after two hours of confusion and multiple unsuccessful attempts to get Schneiderman off the plane.

Schneiderman was hoisted onto the top of two trolleys that are typically used to serve food and beverages to passengers during flights after the backboard was slid under him. Legs and head of Schneiderman hung off either end.

As the carts began to separate, my partner said he almost suffered a heart attack because he could see what was going on and heard them call that the trolleys were coming apart.”

Schneiderman claimed that as a result of the incident, he developed a pressure sore on his foot that septicated and almost required surgery. During his month-long vacation, he claimed to have been bedridden. Schneiderman was eventually compensated by British Airways with GBP 500 ($638), a sum that was negotiated up to GBP 1,500 ($1,900).

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Aviation

Airbus Enhances A350 Cabin with 10-Abreast Seating

Airbus has announced a new partnership with Jiatai Aircraft Equipment, a Chinese aircraft seating manufacturer, to supply upgraded economy-class seats for the A350 widebody series.

This collaboration, unveiled at the 2024 Airshow China, focuses on developing a newly designed economy seat tailored for the A350‘s New Production Standard (NPS) cabin.

One of the key features of the NPS cabin is the ability to accommodate 17-inch wide economy seats, compared to the previous 16.5-inch wide seats that airlines were limited to in the A350’s earlier configurations.

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This change is made possible by the expanded space in the NPS cabin, which is 35 inches longer and 4 inches wider than the previous version. This extra space is achieved by slightly moving the cockpit wall forward and shifting the rear pressure bulkhead back by one frame.

The wider cabin allows airlines to add up to 30 extra economy seats without compromising comfort. For airlines opting for a 3-4-3 seating layout, the 17-inch wide seats are an excellent choice for a more comfortable passenger experience. However, some airlines, such as Iberia, may choose to retain a 9-abreast layout with wider seats for added comfort.

The NPS cabin also offers enhanced flexibility for airline operators. One major advantage is the ability to easily switch between a 9-abreast and 10-abreast seating configuration without requiring significant downtime for aircraft reconfiguration. Airlines can use the same seat rails, tracks, and IFE interfaces, making the transition smoother and quicker.

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In addition, the design of the floor attachments and air-conditioning systems has been optimized for 10-abreast seating, meaning airlines can upgrade their cabins without needing to make substantial modifications to the aircraft’s structure.

Though it’s still unclear when Jiatai’s economy-class seats will be officially added to the A350’s Buyer Furnished Equipment (BFE) catalogue, the collaboration marks a significant step toward enhancing the A350’s cabin offerings.

With this partnership, Airbus is providing more seating options for airlines, ensuring that they can meet diverse customer needs while improving overall operational efficiency.