Qantas CEO Alan Joyce made headlines this week for hinting about placing passengers in the cargo hold on longhaul routes. It’s actually not so far-fetched an idea.
This was not a Michael O’Leary-type joke. We’re not talking about chaining passengers down like an African slave trading ship (which was certainly no joke, but a crime against humanity). Instead, we’re talking about a blast from the past. Can you say Boeing Stratocruiser?
Here’s the problem (and potential) for Qantas: ultra-longhaul routes, like the new London to Perth nonstop service utilizing a Boeing 787-9, cannot carry both a full passenger full cargo load. With this weight restriction, part of the cargo hold remains empty.
How can that space be effectively utilized? Asked about it, Joyce stated:
One of the concepts that we have is maybe if we’re not carrying freight you do something lower where cargo is on the aircraft, do you have an area where people can walk? Do you have berths like on a train?
There’s a lot of ‘out there’ thinking that’s going on.. I don’t know if in 2022 if there’s another going to be another class but if there is Qantas is likely to be the airline that creates it.
But don’t get your hopes up jet yet. Qantas is working closely with Boeing and Airbus on new configurations of the 777 and A350 that can serve London and New York nonstop from Sydney and Melbourne with full passenger and cargo loads. If that happens, forget about the new passenger berths. I’m hoping Boeing and Airbus won’t come through…
(H/T Jackie on Flyertalk)
image: United
Stratocruiser had capacity for just 55 people. Would be a very expensive flight.
If Qantas did put in berths or similar, would they be better than business class seats or suites? Hard to compare nowadays what with how great some of the hard products are.
Why not just put Basic Economy passengers in the cargo hold 😉
Echoing @W, if the “lower deck” of 787/350 is enough to have overhead bin space (and preferably a window as well)
Should be “Crime against humanity” or “Crime and Inhumanity”. Thank you for the good posts as of late Matthew!
Thank you @Ian. Fixed!
The Lockheed TriStar had an option for a lower deck lounge:
https://www.urbanghostsmedia.com/2013/10/elegant-lower-deck-cocktail-lounges-of-lockheed-tristar-passenger-jets/
My understanding is that very few airlines ordered that configuration.
Have a discotheque or a gym down there. Passengers would enjoy.
A gym on a plane that could run into turbulence; what could possibly go wrong?
Thomas Cook A330 have the toilets downstairs, allows them to squeeze in more seats upstairs ! Surprised we didn’t see more adoption of this config on other “pack ’em in ” type airlines – Air Asia etc
It’s the same on Lufthansa’s A340 (at least some of them). Actually quite an efficient and elegant (well, as far as anything in economy can be called “elegant”) solution. Nobody queing in front of your seat to use the lav, no smells and a “kind-of” area to socialize, “poor-man’s lounge” I would say 😉
On LH´s A340-600s the area in front of the toilets downstairs was frequently used to meet up, they also had some snacks and a water dispenser there. So it´s almost like the bar in Emirates A380 but for the poor ones.
Only time will tell, these cargo areas will be oneday seats or berths etc. Especially for ultra long haul these areas could be oneday source of income. Most pax want to have a comfortable flight, so some will be willing to pay more for a spacious seat or area or berths . Just give the industry some time and more innovations will arrive, so these cargo areas could be oneday a great place to enjoy the long flights (with or without windows).
If a 787-9 can hold 280 passengers
Why not spread them out?
Put 180 upstairs and 100 downstairs
I’d rather have more personal room than be in a cramped seat with a gym downstairs