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People would rather spend their money in the days they spend at their destination than during the few hours it takes to get there. If an airline could make money with a plane full of first class seating, they would.
To me--this is a safety issue--
You cannot continue to put people (often older/less mobile or maybe physically impaired) into more and more cramped, difficult to enter and leave spaces in a narrow confine and expect they can exit those seats properly/efficiently when/if there is an emergency...
People panic when there is real emergency and often do not follow rules
Putting them in more tortured seating arrangements makes that worse not better...
As long as the airline or airplane manufacturer can demonstrate that the plane can be evacuated in 90 seconds, the FAA will allow it.
Oh, they're already doing that. UA's 777s used to be 9-abreast in Y, but when I flew back from HKG to SFO last summer, it was a 10-across.
Emirates and AF had 10-abreast rows in Y in 777s for some time already. I'd expect that trend to continue with other airlines, sadly - it's all about economics.
Personally, I'd rather see a return of some stricter regulation in airline travel, beginning with the recognition that the size of human beings in the USA has gone up over the past 50 years. Collectively, we are fatter and wider than ever before. I'd like to see the Federal Government set minimum passenger space requirements that would have the effect of reducing the number of passengers on each plane. The price of airline travel would go up, of course, but I'm fine with that.
I'd also like to see a minimum price-per-seat administered at the federal level, which would have the effect of reducing the number of people on planes. Airlines would need to compete for fewer passengers -- who could afford it -- and they would compete via improved quality of travel & amenities rather than the current compete-by-lowest price model.
I am curious would other industries follow the airlines in cramming seating. I mean I haven't seen this happening much with trains, buses, and theatres, stadiums, arenas, much yet though would they also follow suit seeing they could sell more seats per event
One person mentioned about comparing Hyatt and Motel 6. Though it appears these days the legacy airlines in which American, United, and Delta falls under, which were once the Hyatts and Hiltons of the airlines world are now worse in terms of seat size and service and provide less for the money than the low cost chain motel type airlines such as Southwest. Interesting when comparing full service hotels vs budget inns in my experience the only advantage of staying in a full service hotels I see is having a complementary porter service(which tips are expected) or valet parking service which I rarely use. Full service hotels are also more likely to nickel and dime for things like Wifi and mineral water and many other services will cost a good amount of money.
Apparently big grocers at least in places like California are cramming their aisles more and lobbying for cities and even states to mandate fees for carryout bags to avoid the risk of competition. Essentially using the government to help them price gauge. I am surprsied the airlines haven't lobbied all carriers charge a minimum of $25 for each checked luggage or even carry on luggage to avoid competition. Maybe they can use the disguise of saving the environment as bags cause them to burn more fuel.
Regarding evacuation times, which some posters have concerns about, I am afraid their concerns regarding safety is legit, one thing I read is that planes were evacuation certified back when they had their original seating configuration, in other words the 90 second evacuation drills were held under the original seating configuration which in an original 747 back in 1970s and 777 was nine abreast, and 787 eight abreast with 32 inch pitch in all cases. That there is no requirement to do new actual evacuation drill for a new seating configuration consisting with more rows or columns of seats, only a written certification is done in good faith that it can be evacuated within the 90 second timeframe. Therefore the efficiency of the more cramped configurations had never been tested except in real emergencies. This is probably one of the reasons in addition to making the planes attractive why when new planes are released they were first marketed with much more spacious seating than how the airlines order them down the road. With the average air traveler aging and with larger stature this is a legit concern.
Interesting airlines based in Asia are not leading the trend in cramming seats into planes even though in everyday life they are experts at cramming. Ever look at a restaurant, store, supermarket, apartment, or sleeping capsule in Asia or even in the US owned by Asians, especially an Asian supermarket's aisles and parking lot? Ever see how many people they squeeze in a train during rush hour? Yet quality service seems golden in airlines in Asia. They don't cram their seats to less than 30 inches pitch even though the average person is smaller in Asia than in rest of the world.
Booking a flight is like booking a room. If you spend a night in a Motel6, don't complain that the accommodations aren't as nice as down the road at the Hyatt. If you want the Hyatt's amenities, stay there. If you don't want to pay more than the $50/night that Motel6 charges, then stay there. Ditto for flying. There are other options than economy. Are they more expensive? Sure are. That ribeye cooked to order is spendier than a Big Mac, too. Welcome to the world.
Oh, come on. After a certain point it gets ridiculous. What will you say when they start doing this to business/first class?
What the airlines are doing is similar to persons buying an economy car that comes with brakes, headlights and winshield wipers standard. Then taking away the windshield wipers and having people say if you want wipers buy a more expensive car. Then they take away the headlights, and people say if you want headlights, buy a more expensive car. Then they take away the brakes...
How many people can fit into business/first class, anyway?
Oh, come on. After a certain point it gets ridiculous. What will you say when they start doing this to business/first class?
What the airlines are doing is similar to persons buying an economy car that comes with brakes, headlights and winshield wipers standard. Then taking away the windshield wipers and having people say if you want wipers buy a more expensive car. Then they take away the headlights, and people say if you want headlights, buy a more expensive car. Then they take away the brakes...
How many people can fit into business/first class, anyway?
Actually premium is getting better and better, even domestically. Check out American’s 321T service in first and business.
Ticket prices relative to inflation are WAY down, so while they are removing perks the price is dropping along with it. The vast majority of folks want cheap cheap cheap at all costs so that’s what the airlines are offering.
Personally, I'd rather see a return of some stricter regulation in airline travel, beginning with the recognition that the size of human beings in the USA has gone up over the past 50 years. Collectively, we are fatter and wider than ever before. I'd like to see the Federal Government set minimum passenger space requirements that would have the effect of reducing the number of passengers on each plane. The price of airline travel would go up, of course, but I'm fine with that.
I'd also like to see a minimum price-per-seat administered at the federal level, which would have the effect of reducing the number of people on planes. Airlines would need to compete for fewer passengers -- who could afford it -- and they would compete via improved quality of travel & amenities rather than the current compete-by-lowest price model.
All of this is such a bad idea. I'm glad you are not in charge.
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