Most would agree that leg room is not generous in economy class flights - but if a new airline seat design catches on, it will seem palatial by comparison.

The new 'saddle' seat, to be unveiled at a conference this week, is called the 'SkyRider', and allows just 23 inches of legroom, which is about seven inches less than the average seat's space of 30 inches.

Shaped similar to a horse saddle, passengers sit at an angle, with their weight taken on by their legs.

The makers say the seat would allow budget airlines, such as Ryanair, to cram more passengers into their tight cabins.

But while the designers claim it does not affect passenger comfort, they say it would only be suitable for flights of up to three hours.

They explain that the seat is like a saddle and point out that cowboys ride eight hours on their horses during the day and still feel comfortable!