Don't roast him for the seats, they are pretty much what the industry has come up with in the past years in response to tentative proclamations of interest from customers... Hmm, what you have there basically is a Dash 8 on steroids with massive engines - why not? Look at Lufthansa, they are letting their tired 737-300s and -500s do 40 minute runs, this ought to be a whole lot more efficient...