I suppose it's out of the question to go back to this setup:
Posted on 11/29/2006 5:30:40 AM PST by shrinkermd
With airlines squeezing more seats onto planes and flights more crowded than ever, some nasty battles are brewing, pitting passengers who recline their seats against the squished travelers sitting behind them...
Most U.S. airlines still allow seats to tip as far back as four or five inches....But now Southwest Airlines is doing something to reduce the threat of bruised knees and spilled drinks. The carrier is reducing the maximum recline in many of its seats so that customers can use laptop computers, for example, when the person in front of them wants to lean back.
...The airline decided to standardize recline at three inches, adjusting seats as planes go in for major maintenance work. s.
While Southwest offers 32 inches of space for each seat row on its Boeing 737s, many competitors have seats with less room -- 31-inch rows for the most part, with some as tight as 30 inches. Yet most other airlines also allow at least four inches of recline in seats...
(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...
I fly quite often and usually "post-business hours" (after 1700, red-eye flights, etc.). For the amount I pay, I expect to be able to utilize the functionality of the seat I'm in.
I was asked by a woman once to not recline my seat. I politely informed her that she would have to pay me $25 -cash- (the cost of an upgrade) and I would gladly oblige.
She didn't and I recline and snoozed all the way to Houston.
A few years ago, I flew from Sydney to Honolulu...the Aussie in front of me went to the Loo, put on his PJs, came back and slept for virtually the entire 9 hours.
His wife woke him about 30 minutes before landing and he reversed the process.
I suppose it's out of the question to go back to this setup:
I fly in shorts and a t-shirt and bring a sweat shirt on board in case I get cold.
It is too uncomfortable for me to wear jeans or a suit for that matter. My company used to have a rule in place that when we traveled we wore a suit from the office to our destination. We couldn't even leave from home. We had to go to the office, drop off our vehicle and a car service took us to the airport.
I've sometimes thought it would be fun to fly first class for the extra room.
But then I realised that if you offered me 100 bucks to stand in a line for you for 2 hours, I'd do it.
So why would I spend 500 bucks just to have a little more room sitting for a couple of hours?
I guess I'm just cheap, but I don't think I'd want to spend 20 bucks more for a plane flight just to have an extra 2 inches of leg room. Of course, I'm pretty short so leg room isn't really an issue for me, I'm more concerned about space between seats in the aisles because I am overweight.
A lot of Americans will choose a poorer-quality airline in exchange for a cheaper price and then complain about the quality. We are simple like that.
In my suburban enclave, I notice men, women and children showing up in town for their bagels and coffee wearing pajamas!
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When lived inside Atlanta (now in suburbs) we used to frequent a Winn Dixie in the Norcross area. My wife and I used to call it the "Fellini Winn Dixie" - it was open very late, and sometimes I would go into it just to people watch.
Between 11 and 12 PM I think had been designated the cross-dressing hour. Really bizarre.
My husband flies overseas pretty regularly (via different carriers), and says that the business class seats are very comfortable!
Hobbit Airlines
6 ft, 2 in. here. On a 5 hour flight back from the West Coast, the girl in front of me decided to try to recline her seat. My knees were already up against the seatback even when it was upright, but she kept on trying. I politely informed her that my legs weren't going anywhere, unless she wanted to pay to upgrade me to first class.
Your wife and I must be old school friend, 'cause I remember those days too.
Being just a little sprout in the early 60's, my mom taking us to the airport to pick up my dad, the passengers looking like they just stepped off the set of "Father Knows Best" or "The Donna Reed Show", except not that casual.
Gee, the next thing you know ocean cruises wouldn't be as glamorous as those 1930s movies anymore.
Isn't that called First Class, or Business Class??
I don't know. I always fly NO Class:')
6'2" here, also. I simply slouch a bit and wedge my knees into the seatback in front of me, and if necessary a strong arm against the top of the seatback, and that seat anin't going anywhere. :)
In fairness, I don't recline into others' laps, and therefore don't feel bad about taking that option from the person in front of me.
Because of the discomfort, aggravation, and inconvenience of airline travel, I am willing to pay upwards of 30% more to travel by car instead.
Shorter trips, 600 to 1,000 miles by car, often cost less to drive than fly, depending on the duration and purpose of the trip.
Once, many years ago, I was "bumped" to 1st class for a red-eye overseas flight. Maybe because I was a serviceman, I dunno how or by whom. My first indication was the ticket counter lady going "Oh.. flying first class today, are we?" For the next hour or so, I had a s$#t eating grin that was difficult to conceal. I'm 6'2", and the seating arrangements are a lot better than cattle-class. Once, I was seated next to a rather large Hawaiian, who by rights ought to have bought two seats rather than one.
Of course, you can also try requesting to be seated next to the emergency exits, as the seats immediately in front of it DO NOT recline (to ensure there's enough room to exit the aircraft. IIRC they restrict the people who sit there, as they have to be adults, speak and understand English, and be willing to assist in an emergency.
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