Narrow-body aircraft

This Virgin America Airbus A320 is an example of a narrow-body passenger cabin.

A narrow-body aircraft (also known as a single aisle aircraft) is an airliner with a fuselage aircraft cabin width typically of 3 to 4 metres (10 to 13 ft), and airline seat arranged 2 to 6 abreast along a single aisle. Narrow-body aircraft with a range not allowing transatlantic or transcontinental flights are commonly known as regional airliners.

In contrast, a wide-body aircraft is a larger airliner and is usually configured with multiple travel classes with a fuselage diameter of 5 to 7 metres (16 to 20 ft) and twin aisles. Passengers are usually seated 7 to 10 abreast. For comparison, typical wide-body aircraft can accommodate between 200 and 600 passengers, while the largest narrow-body aircraft currently in widespread service (the Boeing 757-300) carries a maximum of about 250 - 275.

Common narrow-body aircraft types

Six-abreast cabin

• Airbus A320 family - currently the world's 2nd best selling jet aircraft, 156 inches (4.0 m) (395 cm) outside width

• Boeing 707 - The first commercially successful jet airliner, 148 inches (3.8 m) outside diameter
• Boeing 720 - Also known as the Boeing 707-20, 148 inches (3.8 m) outside diameter
• Boeing 727 - at one time the most-produced airliner, 148 inches (3.8 m) outside diameter
• Boeing 737 - the world's best selling jet aircraft of all time, surpassing the 727, 148 inches (3.8 m) outside diameter
• Boeing 757 - the largest of major narrow bodies,148 inches (3.8 m) outside diameter
  

  

  This Delta Air Lines Boeing 757 is a popular narrow-body short-medium range airliner. It is one of the more modern narrow body designs.
• Douglas DC-8, 373 cm outside width
• Tupolev Tu-154 - jet aircraft
• Tupolev Tu-204 - jet aircraft
• Tupolev Tu-334 - jet aircraft
• Vickers VC10, 373 cm outside width

Five-abreast cabin

• BAC One-Eleven
• BAe 146 - flown as a large regional jet in a 69 seat passenger configuration, 6-abreast in high-density
• Boeing 717 - the latest iteration of the DC-9, 3.4 metres (130 in) outside diameter
• Bombardier CSeries, 328 cm inside width
• Convair 880, 325 cm inside width
• Convair 990
• Fokker F28 - jet aircraft 3.3 metres (130 in)
• Fokker 70 - jet aircraft
• Fokker 100 - regional jet aircraft 3.3 metres (130 in) outside diameter
• McDonnell Douglas DC-9 - 3.4 metres (130 in) outside width
• McDonnell Douglas MD-80/MD-90 - a development of the DC-9, 3.4 metres (130 in) outside diameter
• Sukhoi Superjet 100 - 323 cm inside width
• Antonov 148
• Antonov 158

Four-abreast cabin

• Sud Aviation SE 210 Caravelle - First-generation European jet airliner.
• Bombardier Dash 8
• Saab 340

Three-abreast cabin

• Embraer ERJ 145 family

Operating or proposed short haul regional and jet airliners

References