I had occasion to fly a certain major US airline across the country recently and was dismayed to discover that the situation was just as bad as it was the last time I flew, which was just a few months ago. This same airline has been touting improvements that it has made to their service. Unfortunately, those improvements to do not apply to the majority of the passengers, only to a very select few.
On the first leg of the trip we were on an A319, which, as you probably know, is a smaller version of the A320. The A320 is similar in may ways to the 737, and that should give you some perspective of the machine. The A319 a fairly nice little airplane. “Little” being relative, of course.
The staff was exceptional, and this is not unusual. In fact, I have found the personnel at this airline to be universally competent, helpful, and friendly. In only one instance in the past 10 years or so have I encountered a staffing problem. The aircraft itself was neat and clean. What could be better?
The problem was the seats. Now, what the seat manufacturers have done is invent new “slimline” seats that are very thin. The latest scheme is that they move the magazine pouch from knee level to eyeball height. This means the airlines can add more seats into the same aircraft space and provide the illusion of passenger room.
Because most passengers judge seating by knee-room, this pouch-less seat has quite a bit of space about the knees but reduces it at nose-height. The seat pitch, that is the distance from one point on a seat to the identical point on the seat in front of in back, can be reduced. By reducing the seat pitch the airlines can jam more seats on the airplane.
This brilliant new goof-ball idea creates a sort of “S” bend of personal space. The old “L” shaped seating space in the traditional cushy seats has been replaced by a sort of S where you slither into your very hard seat. Because shoulder room is very narrow, you end up sardined into a flying can and hope you don’t become claustrophobic.
Let me get right to the point- It isn’t that this airline hates you, the passenger, it is that they don’t care about you and actively show disrespect. Would you force your friend, family member, mother, wife, or co-worker to sit in one position, with another object eight inches from their nose, for two, three, or five hours? Would you insist that they only get up by climbing over somebody else and then only when allowed by a signal light?
Of course, you wouldn’t. And if you did, you’d be considered a disrespectful fiend. Yet, this is what airlines do, and we pay real money for the experience. Yet, because these companies transport us long distances, we are willing to put up with the insults and, frankly, the pain.
I’m just sayin’. It isn’t very nice.