Plane Sizes - How Things Have Changed
We have heard a lot of complains lately about flying, comfort and seats. With the seat wars (Check out Seat Wars, Airplane Etiquette, And Things Not To Do When Flying) and people fighting over reclining seats, it makes you question plane sizes, design, and how things have changed.
Do you remember when flying used to be an event? Families would dress up and kids would be on their best behaviour when flying. Flying was an experience. Today it seems to be more of a nuisance.
What’s changed? Have the planes gotten smaller? What about the seats? Are they smaller too, or have we just gotten bigger?
The proof is in the pudding – it’s not a myth, seat pitch on most planes has decreased by about 3-4 inches, further reducing leg room. While most seat used to have a 34 inch seat pitch, most are in the 31-32 inch range today, with some being as small as 28 inches for shorter flights on smaller planes. Add to this the fact that the average width of an airline seat is just over 17 inches, and it’s no wonder people are complaining about comfort when they fly.
It’s no secret that all major airlines are looking for new ways to increase profits. They are doing so by adding to or reducing the number of coach seats, or cutting the distance between rows – something that will have an impact on our leg room. Read: 4 Strategic Ways To Cope With An Aggressive Recliner
According to Kathleen Robinette, who's studied human body measurements for the U.S. Air Force Airline seats are approximately 5 inches too narrow, something that is directly impacting our comfort levels.
Being a little cramped on a short flight is something that most of us can live with. However, on long flights that are 5 hours or more is when it becomes a big issue.
As outlined on independanttraveler.com, comfort is the 5th most important consideration for shorter flights. On shorter flights, people are more concerned with price, availability, and service.
Longer flights are a different story. On longer flights, a customer’s priority for comfort becomes the second most important consideration, with only flight availability being more important.
It’s hard to argue with this point – long flights are no fun and if you are like many passengers, you feel the need to get a massage or book an appointment with a chiropractor to get straightened out once you land!
There is no doubt that planes have gotten bigger, but the ways they are constructed have limited our personal space – creating a mass of grumpy and uncomfortable passengers.
What do you think? Have you noticed the change in the size of seats on planes? Do you have comfort issues when flying? What do you think airline can do to make flying more comfortable for passengers?