Airbus super squeeze coming to an airplane near you

Geoffrey Thomas

By Geoffrey Thomas Thu Jun 16, 2022

Airbus is planning to add another six seats to its 186-seat A320 and another 20 to its A330 which will mean the slimmest seats and toilets you have ever experienced. Of course, most airlines, fearing a passenger revolt will not adopt the increased seating but charter and low-cost airlines are expected to sign up. To achieve this the seat pitch would be reduced to just 28 inches (71cm) and some seats would partially overlap the exit doors.
Airbus had developed a high-density version of the A330 which was snapped up by Cebu Pacific in 2014. The Cebu Pacific A330 remains the world’s most tightly configured with 436 Economy seats. The aircraft is configured with nine abreast seating in a 3-3-3 configuration which gives passengers just 16.5 inches (41.9cm) between armrests, which is a 3.75-5 centimetre reduction off the standard economy configurations found in most economy cabins.
However, the new Airbus initiative would see the certified limit for the A330 lifted from 440 seats to 465 passengers. This would also require the installation of much smaller galleys which have proved very unpopular with cabin crew. Read: AirAsia X announces London, Dubai and Istanbul Read: Qatar Airways posts record profit See: Stunning video of Red Bull DC-6B
About AirlineRatings.com Airlineratings.com was developed to provide everyone in the world a one-stop shop for everything related to airlines, formed by a team of aviation editors, who have forensically researched nearly every airline in the world. Our rating system is rated from one to seven stars on safety – with seven being the highest ranking. Within each airline, you will find the country of origin, airline code, booking URL and seat map information. The rating system takes into account a number of different factors related to audits from aviation’s governing bodies, lead associations, as well as the airlines, own safety data. Every airline has a safety rating breakdown so you can see exactly how they rate. Over 230 of the airlines on the site that carry 99 per cent of the world’s passengers have a product rating. Given that low-cost, regional and full-service carriers are so different we have constructed a different rating system for each which can be found within each airline.  
   

Have questions or want to share your thoughts?

Comments

No comments yet, be the first to write one.

Latest news and reviews

View more
Vietjet and CFM sign agreement to explore MRO capability in Vietnam
Airline News

Vietjet and CFM sign agreement to explore MRO capability in Vietnam

Sep 18, 2026

Airline Ratings
HK Express vs Jeju Air: Comparing Hong Kong’s and Korea’s Low-Cost Airlines
Airline News

HK Express vs Jeju Air: Comparing Hong Kong’s and Korea’s Low-Cost Airlines

Sep 18, 2026

Josh Wood
Power banks, turbulence and unruly passengers: the WSOC 2026 sessions that will shape your next flight
Airline News

Power banks, turbulence and unruly passengers: the WSOC 2026 sessions that will shape your next flight

Sep 18, 2026

Airline Ratings
Is HK Express the Best Low-Cost Airline for Food and Shopping?
Airline News

Is HK Express the Best Low-Cost Airline for Food and Shopping?

Sep 17, 2026

Airline Ratings

Featured articles

View more
Cathay Pacific vs British Airways: which airline wins Hong Kong to London?
Airline News

Cathay Pacific vs British Airways: which airline wins Hong Kong to London?

Sep 8, 2026

Sharon Petersen
China Southern economy review: Perth to Guangzhou direct and why the city is worth the stop
Airline News

China Southern economy review: Perth to Guangzhou direct and why the city is worth the stop

Sep 15, 2026

Sharon Petersen and Sandy West
Qatar Airways' Qsuite is the world's preferred business class
Airline News

Qatar Airways' Qsuite is the world's preferred business class

Aug 18, 2026

Airline Ratings
From First Circuit to Full Flight Deck: How MOZA Built a Flight Sim Ecosystem That Grows With You
Airline News

From First Circuit to Full Flight Deck: How MOZA Built a Flight Sim Ecosystem That Grows With You

Aug 18, 2026

Airline Ratings