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If someone wanted to measure the American people's tolerance for eating crap, the modern day airline seating construct would easily suffice. Here we can see the heaping disrespect for most of their customers manifest in those punitive seats that could could just as easily be a great tool for extracting confessions in police interrogations. Even the innocent would confess just to end the agony. And still, every flight is full to the brim.
Never mind that one's pre boarding experiences at the hands of our authoritarian airline gestapo is simply a prelude to the eventual torture we will be forced to endure. We are also expected to run the gauntlet of impossible parking, navigating those overcrowded stadium sized concourses, the terrible food, the TSA obligatory shows of disrespect, putting up with the stow-bin heroes who can shove a VW into the cramped overhead storage space, yes, then, and only then can we be treated to the final humility of those seats, so yeah, the airlines can do better----But why would they?
No way the upper level seats would work on a US airplane. The lawsuits from injuries due to people falling when they come down those steps would bankrupt the airlines (even if they passed some sort of NHTSA approval).
I agree!
Also, what if there is a crash where it doesn't kill the whole planeload? The likeliness of survivors would definitely mean more deaths with lower passenger's heads flying forward and hitting those upper seats.
LOL, yes, my first commercial flight was on a DC3; the next on a Lockheed Electra. A jacket and tie was standard dress on a plane in those days.
I remember 50 years ago, before deregulation, and flying was a good experience. I recall lasagna on UAL so good that I asked for a second helping, and got it, and the utensils were stainless not plastic. When we flew from IAD to SFO on our honeymoon flight in 1974, the Stewardesses saw our shiny new rings and newlywed behavior and gave us a bottle of champagne as we left the plane. And in those days if your UAL flight was fully booked, every adult got a free glass of the bubbly. Seat width and legroom wasn't an issue in those days.
Then it all changed . . .
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Has anyone thought about the cost of these renovations, and how it is going to be passed onto all those that fly? The planes would be out of commission while renovations were being done, and this wouldn't be as easy as it would be to make changes in a home. It would be a slow process, and all the associated costs would be added to the ticket prices for everyone. (Engineering, manufacture of the seats, etc.)
So, the cost goes up for everyone, and not everyone will choose to pay the increased prices, which will further decrease revenue, after spending for the renovations.
There is no way in the world that businesses can absorb the costs of serving every living person with every special need that they might have. It is just the reality.
The below article mentions all the conditions that were discussed and more:
"And don't give up on getting fit. Although it is difficult to lose weight gained because of a medical condition or medication, it's not impossible, says Frank."
I agree with those that if it doesn't work for them, they make another choice. Everyone has things that because of some personal attribute something doesn't work for them, but asking everyone to chip in to provide for them................ I see this with group homes for those with developmental disabilities, as they have to be set up for all possibilities when it comes to DD, so the cost has become so prohibitive, there is a shortage of group homes.
I think one of the issues is all the excuses for obesity - "not my fault", and usually it is. Personal responsibility is an old fashioned idea I guess, but it worked!
Southwest has some of the narrowest coach class seats in the US air fleet, at 16.8" wide. I fit in an 18" wide seat, but not in a 16.8" seat, so I am sitting on 100% of seat #1 and about 2" seat #2. That 2" may not sound like much, but it's more than enough to squish someone sitting next to me. Apparently, though, it doesn't look too bad to some of the other passengers, who'd sit in that seat if I didn't have it blocked off.
Most First Class seats are 20" wide, which is much more comfortable.
I fly Southwest often and find their seats very comfortable. What I have a problem with is obese people taking up some of my seat space. I'm uncomfortable with that type of friendliness.
I fly Southwest often and find their seats very comfortable..
Most adults find a 16.8" seat a bit too narrow. That's one of the advantage of flying an Airbus rather than a Boeing aircraft; most Airbus models have a wider fuselage than most Boeing models, so they can put in a wider seat in Economy class. But the average person has no idea that Economy class seat width varies between planes and between airlines, so of course it never occurs to them to look for flights likely to have wider seats in Economy (not that they're going to have a ton of options, especially if they find themselves flying from an airport which is serviced primarily by small regional jets).
Why can't the airlines come up with a system where, when a reservation is booked, the flyer can indicate they are oversized and need two seats and then pay for that? (obviously, this requires honesty on the part of the person booking the flight) And, to be sympathetic to the oversized person, whatever the reason, why can't the airline charge a reasonable, but not outrageous fee, for that extra space? How many big flyers could there be per flight?
Why can't the airlines come up with a system where, when a reservation is booked, the flyer can indicate they are oversized and need two seats and then pay for that? (obviously, this requires honesty on the part of the person booking the flight) And, to be sympathetic to the oversized person, whatever the reason, why can't the airline charge a reasonable, but not outrageous fee, for that extra space? How many big flyers could there be per flight?
A lot, these days.
Airlines do try to set up such systems, with variable degrees of success. Southwest has the easiest system to use, I think, and because they only fly Boeing 737 aircraft, they have fewer problems when equipment changes or IRROPS (short for Irregular operations - aka weather events and such that cause the system to melt down). Those are much bigger issues on other airlines for people traveling who need two seats, as they may find they can't be accommodated.
And then there's the issue of convincing people who should buy two seats to actually do so... It's more expensive and inconvenient, which tempts too many people to try to get buy with just one seat. (there are also situations when traveling for work or on a tour where airfare is included when two seats just can't be booked, which sucks.)
Maybe the airline should take into account the person's weight plus their luggage weight. In other words, instead of having bag weight limits, they should add the bag weight plus the person's weight. A 300 lb man who has 40 lbs of luggage is 340 lbs total whereas a small woman might be 115 lbs with a 25 lb bag or 140 lbs total. The woman should not pay as much as the man who is bringing 200 lbs more onto the aircraft than she is.
Maybe the airline should take into account the person's weight plus their luggage weight. In other words, instead of having bag weight limits, they should add the bag weight plus the person's weight. A 300 lb man who has 40 lbs of luggage is 340 lbs total whereas a small woman might be 115 lbs with a 25 lb bag or 140 lbs total. The woman should not pay as much as the man who is bringing 200 lbs more onto the aircraft than she is.
Great logic that makes perfect sense. As I mentioned before, whoever the person is that would have to enforce that formula would have one of the most dangerous jobs in the world.
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