14 FEBRUARY 1958, Page 7

THE MUNICH CRASH appears to have been yet an other example

of the relatively greater safety of b ickward-facing seats. The standard argument against them is that passengers are antagonistic; that if, say, BEA adopted them, people would book by other airlines to avoid sitting in them. MY own impression is that passengers are not used to facing backwards, and that consequently there is an initial feeling of strangeness; but I do not think this would last-particularly as they

would soon begin to enjoy the benefit of the better view (at least until the projected airliners with wings and engines near the tail are in service). But I suppose it is useless to expect any company to make a move unless all its rivals agree to it at the same time; and the chances of this, I gather, are negligible.

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