Numerous airlines have made promises regarding upgrades to their business or first class products, especially to introduce lie-flat seating. But what about coach? Sure, we had the furor over standing-room-seats last week — a report which Airbus has disputed, saying they’ve abandoned the concept, and which the New York Times partially corrected today.

More realistically, the Telegraph reports that a new generation of economy-class seats may resemble movie theater seats. The new “flip-seats,” designed by Aida Development GmbH of Germany and pictured above, would allow passengers to stand up during the flight without moving to the aisle, thereby reducing the risk of potentially life-threatening blood clots from Deep Vein Thrombosis (a.k.a. DVT or “economy class syndrome”).

DVT is an increasingly common concern for travelers, especially on long and ultra-long haul flights. And where there is concern, there is insurance: One provider is even offering DVT insurance in the UK, with a £10,000 payment if death occurs 72 hours after a flight. This sounds like a moneymaker for the insurance industry: existing fear/demand, limited window for the event, low risk of payout, relatively low payment.

Besides reducing the risk of DVT, the flip-seats promise faster boarding, since passengers can more quickly move into the aisle to stow carry-ons under the seat. The speedy boarding claims may be overstated (people using the overhead bins are the real slow-down) but, assuming the seats don’t sacrifice comfort for foldability, this seems like a good move. I reserve the right to change my mind if the passenger next to me spends the duration of the flight standing up next to me, though…

(images: Aida)