standing room only

When I was a little girl, I was a sci fi freak. I read anything and everything I could get my hands on, and some of the stories I read then have remained with me ever since.

I was so convinced that the things I read about would be reality by the time I grew up that I sometimes feel an almost disconnected feeling ... like I am one of the survivors of some planetary disaster, and have memories of what the world used to be like.

I thought that we would have space travel for everybody, not just the super rich. In fact, I fully expected to be living on another planet.

I thought we would have instant access portals that we would step into if we wanted to get from one place to another. Kind of "beam me up Scotty" without the need for Scotty. A bit like the flues in Harry Potter, I suppose. 

I certainly didn't think that I'd still be here, feet mostly on the ground, looking into a future of standing-room only aeroplanes.

These pictures are of Italian company Aviointeriors' new aircraft 'standing seat' which has 46cm of legroom, instead of the current economy class average of 60cm. They were taken at the Aircraft Interiors Expo in California a few days ago. you can see more pics here


Are they serious? Imagine this on a long-haul flight! And imagine how much more it will emphasise the disparity between the fatcats in first class and the rest of us in economy...


 

But it is not all pie in the sky...

Some things in my future have come true ... this is a photo of me in my office in Moorreesburg, South Africa,  taken by my colleague Akin in Abuja, Nigeria. I was being projected onto the wall, thanks to the wonders of skype video (and no thanks at all to the Nigerian consulate in Joburg) I seem to be making a point about something. I hope it was interesting!

Comments

Meri said…
Having been forced to fly in the next-to-last row of a 747, center of the center section, from Hamburg to Chicago and not being able to move because of the 60 cm in front, the large female German athlete to the right and the sleeping techie with his head up against mine -- he'd already traveled from India before boarding -- I can't imagine submitting to one of those seats!
19 September 2010 at 19:16
Lynne said…
Hi Meri
I know that squished feeling! too awful! And I feel for that poor woman in the picture... she can't even put the tray table down for a cup of coffee!
20 September 2010 at 07:45
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