How airplane legroom got so tight | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Legroom on airplanes has decreased over the years due to unbundling and profitability, with comfort being an added cost for passengers.

Key Insights

• 🥺 Legroom on airplanes has decreased over time, leading to less comfort for passengers.
• 👻 Airlines have unbundled amenities and added fees for extras, allowing customers to choose and pay for more legroom.
• 😮 Economic factors, such as rising fuel costs, have contributed to the decrease in legroom.
• 🦺 Comfort and safety are not necessarily intertwined, as seat pitch regulations mainly focus on safety.
• 👱 The market for air travel has become segmented, with customers having to prioritize their preferences and choose accordingly.
• ✈️ Historical aircraft offered significantly more legroom compared to modern planes.
• 🤢 Changes in seat design, such as thinner cushions, have allowed airlines to add more seats and decrease seat pitch.

Transcript

LaGuardia? Today I'm traveling from New York to Chicago on... this plane. It's an Airbus A319. And I just so happened to have the blueprints or Aircraft Characteristics, Airport and Maintenance Planning documents... in my possession. As you can see here: economy class which is where I'll be sitting, has a seat pitch between 28 and 30 inches. ... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: Why has legroom decreased on airplanes over time?

Legroom has decreased due to a combination of factors, including rising fuel costs, difficult world events impacting travel demand, and the unbundling of amenities by airlines to increase profitability.

Q: What were the seat dimensions on historical aircraft compared to modern planes?

Historical aircraft like the DC-3 offered seat pitches of up to 39 inches, while modern planes like the Airbus A319 and Boeing 737 have seat pitches ranging from 28 to 34 inches.

Q: How have airlines capitalized on individual preferences for legroom?

Airlines have implemented additional fees for extras like seat selection, allowing customers to choose and pay for more legroom if they desire it. This segmentation of the market has led to increased overall revenues for some airlines.

Q: Are there any regulations regarding minimum seat dimensions for passenger safety and comfort?

The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2018 called for minimum dimensions for passenger seats, including seat pitch, for safety purposes. However, as of 2023, there are no regulations in place due to a court decision and lack of clear evidence linking small seats to slower passenger evacuation.

Q: Why has legroom decreased on airplanes over time?

Legroom has decreased due to a combination of factors, including rising fuel costs, difficult world events impacting travel demand, and the unbundling of amenities by airlines to increase profitability.

More Insights

• Legroom on airplanes has decreased over time, leading to less comfort for passengers.

• Airlines have unbundled amenities and added fees for extras, allowing customers to choose and pay for more legroom.

• Economic factors, such as rising fuel costs, have contributed to the decrease in legroom.

• Comfort and safety are not necessarily intertwined, as seat pitch regulations mainly focus on safety.

• The market for air travel has become segmented, with customers having to prioritize their preferences and choose accordingly.

• Historical aircraft offered significantly more legroom compared to modern planes.

• Changes in seat design, such as thinner cushions, have allowed airlines to add more seats and decrease seat pitch.

• Passengers have different opinions on prioritizing comfort and are divided on reclining seats.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Legroom, or seat pitch, on airplanes has become increasingly limited, resulting in a lack of comfort for passengers.

• Historical aircrafts, such as the DC-3, offered much more legroom compared to modern planes like the Airbus A319 and Boeing 737.

• Airlines have unbundled amenities and added fees for extras like seat selection, leading to a segmentation of the market and forcing passengers to choose what they value most.