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
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