Ahhhh yes. The joy and creature comforts of flying commercial airlines. Close your eyes and inhale – – and wedge into your too-tight old jeans…with your next door neighbor.
- Big carriers are cutting shoulder space by wedging an extra seat into each coach row. This doesn’t sit well with many travelers.
- Arm rests and aisles are also getting slimmed to wedge in the extra seat, meaning more elbows get bumped.
- And while seats are now being designed more ergonomically, with better cushions and head rests, the improvements don’t stop people from rubbing shoulders.
- Plane makers deflect criticism, noting that seat width is up to airlines. Boeing designs its jets for airlines to do “whatever they want to do inside the cabin.” Boeing designers focus on “creature comfort that can’t be violated by the airlines,” like bigger windows, larger overhead bins and mood lighting. (DK Note to Self: Mood lighting? Bigger Windows? Overhead bins? Creature comforts? You have got to be kidding.)
- Passengers aren’t happy facing decreased shoulder room, more frequent bumps from service carts in narrower aisles and less overall comfort… (DK Note to Self: You think!?!)
Read more at wsj.com: The Incredible Shrinking Plane Seat
Source:
And to add a little more irony – prices keep going up..
True.
it’s a good thing the baggage has more room, as it now has it’s own fee for flying, if they create big windows on the overhead bins, the baggage can also watch the movie and charge even more for the view.
Funny. yes!
The last time I flew, I had the window seat and a much bigger man got the seat next to me. Before he even sat down, he apologized. He was so nice that when he asked, “do you have enough room?” I laughed and said “Nope, and neither do you!” it was fine but it sure could have been a much different experience!
MJ
What a great story. That, doesn’t happen often.
Airlines seem to think they are flying sardines rather than humans around the world.
Laughing. Yes. Everyone has agreed with your sardine characterization. Well stated Alex.
Arghhh! I’m with you, DK–the airline definition of “creature comfort” and mine differ markedly. Good grief. I have a friend who’s a private pilot for a man who has his own Lear jet. This is the level of success to which I aspire–you know you’ve made it when you don’t have to sit in the lap of your fellow traveler…. 😉
A Lear jet? What absolute bliss! *sigh* 🙂
I know, right? I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a certain shade of green just thinking about it…
Lori. No. Oh No. You fly on a Lear Jet? Please. Tell me not.
Not. You read my statement too quickly, David. I said that my friend pilots a Lear jet and when I grow up I want to be rich and famous and own one so that I can abandon “cattle class,” which is what I presently fly…. :-/
Laughing. Figured my bait would elicit a response. (I read it just right)
You know me too well…. 😉
Laughing.
clicked ‘like’ but don’t like, at all! ;]
You likely have universal agreement with your position on that Vicki
I had noticed, and the aisles are so much narrower because of this. Most people have to walk sideways. 🙁
The aisles ARE narrower. Everything is tighter.
Sardines.
Laughing. Yes!
I agree with the “sardine” comments. So glad I don’t have to fly anywhere for my work.
Laughing. So visually appropriate. Hopefully with the sardine juice!
I’m a little person, barely over five ft tall, and even with my short little legs, I find it tight. Always feel so sorry for my 6’1″ hubby when flying … how does he fit??
Yes, Laurie, how do WE fit?!
It used to be so much more fun to fly, before TSA idiocy and useless security measures. Now, smaller seats. Good reasons to stay home!
Yep. All of it, painful. Except the soft landings.
On my last flight from Scotland to Newark (United) I had the aisle seat and the man in the middle seat was six-two and probably weighed 230-40? His thigh was on top of mine the whole flight. Well, I put the blanket between us which made us both (and his wife) feel better. The journey for me was uncomfortable, but for him it was a whole lot worse. When is someone going to force the airlines to offer different sized seats in economy? We are not all petite and slim. I am very angry at this new move from the airlines, but for me there seems to be no recourse apart from paying the extortionate costs for business/first. (I’d never take the sailing route.)
I am squarely aligned with you. Thanks for sharing your story to bring the point home.