Airlines cut deeper into legroom to help boost profits - Polidicks

[quote][I]Passengers in economy class might notice a tighter fit as carriers reduce legroom to squeeze in more travelers.[/I] Justin Klein is 6-foot-3, which means he is acutely aware how close his knees are to the seat in front of him on a plane. And on a recent business trip from Nashville to Chicago on a newly reconfigured Southwest Airlines plane, the 33-year-old regional sales manager immediately noticed he had lost an inch of legroom. His knees were jammed in so tightly that he couldn’t stretch out his legs under the seat in front of him. When he reclined in his seat, he could lean back only two inches instead of the usual three. “It’s ruined the Southwest flying experience,” said Klein, 33. Southwest is one of several airlines squeezing seats closer together in order to pack in more passengers, create rows with extra legroom for people willing to pay more, or both. Southwest Airlines has started adding six more seats to its planes, losing an inch of room between seats in the process. WestJet, out of Canada, is whacking several inches of space to make room for a section of higher-fare seats with extra legroom. Even JetBlue Airways, which has long boasted the most legroom in the industry, announced earlier this month that it had removed an inch of legroom in the rear 11 rows of its Embraer E190 aircraft to accommodate expanded legroom in new, higher-priced rows. Not only are the cheap seats closer together, there are fewer of them available as some airlines charge extra for window and aisle seats and remove rows to add premium coach sections. This makes it harder for families to find affordable seats together and makes travelers who have paid more reluctant to switch seats. And with airlines operating fewer flights to fill planes and cut costs, the standard economy seat has become a much harder commodity to come by. “You are getting squeezed in all directions,” said Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst with Atmosphere Research Group. Legroom is going the way of checked bags, in-flight meals, and pillows — once-free amenities that now come at a cost. In a fiercely competitive industry, this allows airlines to offer lower base ticket prices, while generating new revenue from those willing to pay additional fees. Many passengers say that more legroom is the improvement they want most — 41 percent according to a recent survey by TripAdvisor, a travel-review website based in Newton. But 71 percent said they weren’t willing to pay for extra legroom on domestic flights under four hours. “It’s kind of ridiculous that you have to pay for the ability to sit comfortably in a seat,” said Susan Mocarski, founder of the startup Providence outerwear company Cleverhood , who flies out of Logan four or five times a month for work and can’t afford to pay for extra legroom. “It just seems like it’s inching up on absolutely intolerable travel.” United Airlines started the trend of offering higher-priced economy seats with extra legroom in 2005. Now all the major domestic carriers, with the exception of Southwest and US Airways, have done the same, and it has been a dependable revenue stream for cash-strapped airlines. JetBlue expects premiums paid for extra-legroom seats to bring in $150 million this year. Larger carriers generate significantly more but will not release the figures. Some airlines have taken legroom reduction to an extreme. Spirit Airlines has just 28 inches between rows, the lowest in the industry. This configuration allows Spirit to get more people aboard and charge lower fares, the airline said. Still, packing people too close together on planes can raise safety concerns. “You can’t get much tighter than that,” analyst Harteveldt said of Spirit’s legroom, “because you run into issues of being able to safely evacuate a plane.” Spirit said safety is its top priority and its seating configuration complies with FAA regulations. Southwest is now down to the industry standard of 31 inches between seats, a measurement called pitch, on its planes. A decade ago, the industry average was 32 inches. Southwest, however, said its new configuration includes seats with slimmer cushions and arm rests that allow more personal space on each side and include ergonomic improvements, such as better lower back support. “We’ve had people say that it’s much more comfortable,” said Southwest spokesman Paul Flaningan. Salem resident Jake Sullivan, 29, who travels several times a month for his work as a client services manager at a Boston concierge company, said he has become “emotionally attached” to JetBlue in part because of the airline’s space, with 34 inches between each row in coach on its Airbus A320s. But even JetBlue, Boston’s biggest carrier, has cut legroom in economy to offer more in higher-priced sections. On its Embraer E190 planes, 44 seats that previously had 33 inches of pitch now have 32, enabling the airline to add two higher-priced rows with 38 and 39 inches of pitch. Sullivan, for his part, is willing to shell out more money for extra legroom if he needs it. “I just look at it as the cost of doing business,” he said. “If you want to fly, you play by the rules of the game.”[/quote] [url=http://www.boston.com/news/nation/2012/08/19/airlines-reducing-legroom-coach/kcQbfjCoOKgmAgAWkaKAMM/story-1.html]Source[/url] [B]NO[/B] GOD DAMNIT. I'm 2.05m (6'9" for you imperials), I can't fit already; why the fuck.

I'm slightly shorter than you but I am still having serious trouble fitting in airplane and bus seats, but they don't give a shit about taller people.

I'm a hair under 6', I don't even try to get comfortable on a plane.

Wow I already have problems on the backseats of most cars. I don't even want to think what this would be like.

[QUOTE=wootmonster;37326416]I'm slightly shorter than you but I am still having serious trouble fitting in airplane and bus seats, but they don't give a shit about taller people.[/QUOTE] Makes absolutely no sense because the world is getting taller, not smaller.

Put hammocks above the seats for people to lie in.

Reminds me of... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Idd32nyf1pc&feature=relmfu[/media] Anything they can do to get more money out, then can. But I'm not going to complain too much - especially for short flights, it's really handy.

6'9" Holy shit you're a giant. You should come over here and visit wales and scare all the welshmen for fun :v:

6'2" :v: Honestly, a 7 hour flight from the Middle-East to Britain is fucking horrible. I dread the flight every summer. I honestly lose all feeling in my legs and my legs ache for a solid two days after the flight. I fucking hate flying. Wish I could go Business class every time. [editline]20th August 2012[/editline] [QUOTE=mole3700;37326492]Reminds me of... [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Idd32nyf1pc&feature=relmfu[/media] Anything they can do to get more money out, then can. But I'm not going to complain too much - especially for short flights, it's really handy.[/QUOTE] David Walliams is the shit.

If I'm 5' and I'm uncomfortable with the leg space, I can't imagine what it's like for you guys.

Think of it this way: much more efficient, fuel-wise.

5'8", no complaints.

My favorite airline Norwegian did the opposite, they're increasing legroom (They do this by making the chairs thinner while still having the same amount of chairs)

My dad always does his best to book us exit seats, the extra space is a God-send. Honestly, you guys should try this. When you book your flight, book it in the exit seat isle, or reserve them. You'll thank yourself for it later. You can actually stretch your legs out straight, it's a beautiful thing.

Well, I don't think I can ever fly then. My thigh muscles cramp up when I'm stuffed in a small space for too long, I can't imagine a cramp where you can't stretch out to relieve it. Ever had a cramp that you couldn't relieve? It'd be hell.

[QUOTE=The golden;37326920]Aren't airline companies already getting a little wallet-pain because people aren't flying as much due to how much of a pain in the ass it has become due to security and other bullshit? If so, then this is not going to help at all. People are already getting tired of being treated like shit when flying.[/QUOTE] Most of the revenue doesn't come from people that occasionally choose flight over road, but from people who have no choice but to travel by plane.

I keep getting moved to "priority reservation" seats (Near the emergency exit) cause I always book a seat near them and they need someone tall to sit near the emergency exit to open it. 6'3 Benefits.

[QUOTE=Kabstrac;37326438]I don't even like supporting airline companies just because of how they purposefully lower the quality of the flight in order to make a little bit more $$ to the point of extreme annoyance.[/QUOTE] Well they aren't doing that well atm when fuel costs more and more every day. Either make flights more efficient or rise the prices. I would have no trouble paying a little less and getting a vertical seat or a small horizontal capsule for short flights.

I'm 175cm and I can barely fit as is.

I'm 6'2" and have to take around 2-4 flights a year. This is not fun news.

I always end up being seated beside the people that snore really loud :v I can just barely fit if I sort of put my legs at an angle (188CM)

6'4 here and I already have problems with legroom as it is, not welcome news.

this is why i always book flights with swiss air whenever possible god damn they are a great airliner

This will be[I] great[/I] for my flight from Korea to Los Angeles...

Yet another reason not to fly commercial for me. Between the TSA, ticket prices, long lines, stupid rules, and the fact that my 6'1'' frame ain't gonna fit in the seats, I'd be better off just not traveling at all than I would doing so by plane. It's a shame, too, because I enjoy aviation and will eventually have my own pilot's license/small plane. I have no qualms about being on an airplane.

Soon enough today's economy class will be the future business class.

I've never been on a plane before, and now I'm not even looking forward to it.

You know your airline has a problem when fully-loaded troops on a helicopter ride to a week-long patrol have more comfy seats.

Being 6ft (1.81m) and it's already hard enough to fit in normal fucking car seats, I can't imagine having to sit in a plane with that little leg room

[QUOTE=Ninja Duck;37327473]I've never been on a plane before, and now I'm not even looking forward to it.[/QUOTE] Depends on how far you're flying. Short flights (~ 1 hour) and it's fine, if a little awkward. Much longer than that, and with reduced legroom, you're looking at major discomfort.