Is this Flying-V the future of the flight?

While airlines are increasingly criticized for the impact of carbon dioxide emissions from their aircraft on climate change, KLM is partnering with a Dutch university to design a brand new type of aircraft. 39 passenger plane that should reduce the environmental impact – and it's really cool, with the passenger cabin integrated with the wings.

The airline said its new project with the engineering department of the Delft University of Technology is called Flying-V because of its characteristic V shape, with passengers sitting along the wings. The new design is intended to support "long-distance sustainable flights in the future," KLM said.

KLM said the Flying-V will be the same size as the Airbus A350, but it will not be as long and it could use the existing doors and hangars that accommodate the Airbus widebody. It would also have about the same passenger capacity as the A350, or 314 passengers in a standard configuration, but its ultra-efficient dual-flow engines would use 20% less fuel than the A350.

"In its current design, it still flies with kerosene, but it can easily be adapted to take advantage of the propulsion system's innovations, for example by using electric-assisted turbojets," said the airline.

Do not miss a shred of important travel news! Sign up for our FREE biweekly email alerts

The project will also allow engineers to rethink the passenger experience, from seating configuration to seating design to bathrooms. "Everything must be as light as possible to maximize the effectiveness of the new shape of the aircraft," KLM said.

The airline and the university have indicated that they plan to present a scale model and a full-size interior of the aircraft at Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam in October. However, the commercial use of the aircraft – assuming it goes beyond the design stage – should not be achieved until 20 to 30 years.

Read all recent posts from TravelSkills here

Get updates twice a week from TravelSkills by e-mail! register here

Chris McGinnis is the founder of TravelSkills.com. The author is solely responsible for the content above, which is used here with permission. You can contact Chris at [email protected] or on Twitter @cjmcginnis.