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5/03/2017 10:53 am  #1


American Airlines is cutting more legroom in economy class

"This is one of the best economic environments the U.S. airline industry has seen in decades," said Harteveldt. "There is no need to race to the bottom."


Just when you thought your legroom in economy class couldn't get tighter.

American Airlines (AAL) is planning to decrease the front-to-back space between some of its economy class seats by another two inches.

The airline says it plans to add more seats on its coming Boeing (BA) 737 Max jetliners. To do that, it will shrink the distance between seats, also known as pitch, from 31 inches to 29 inches on three rows of the airplane, and down to 30-inches in the rest of its main economy cabin.

American isn't the only big airline heading in this direction. United Airlines (UAL) is considering a similar move, according to a person briefed on its evaluations. United declined to comment.

The move signals a new step in the shrinking of U.S. airline cabins, and comes even as carriers are promising to improve overall customer service.

With the change, American will become the first large U.S. carrier to offer legroom with a pitch that's nearly on par with ultra-low cost carriers Spirit Airlines (SAVE) and Frontier Airlines. Those seats are an industry minimum 28-inches apart.

By comparison, economy class pitch on Delta Air Lines (DAL) and United ranges between 30 and 31 inches, while JetBlue Airways (JBLU), Southwest Airlines (LUV) and Alaska Airlines (ALK) have between 31 and 33 inches.

The one advantage the big U.S. carriers still have over their lowest-fare rivals was a few more inches in economy.
The bathrooms on American's 737 Max jets will also be smaller, one person familiar with the planning said.
The new Max jets will have more than 170 seats, two sources said, compared to 160 on its existing 737-800s. The airline said it is keeping its extra-legroom 'Main Cabin Extra' economy seats, as well as its 16 first class seats.

These new single-aisle aircraft will go into use later this year and will primarily be flown on routes in North America.
Fliers will still pay regular economy fares for the 18 seats with two inches less leg room. Two of those three rows of 29-inch pitch will be in the back of the plane and a third farther forward. These seats won't be part of its new basic economy fares, which sell for less because fliers don't get access to overhead bins, a seat assignment or frequent flier miles.

An American spokesman said the airline will add 40 Max jets to its fleet by the end of 2019. It has 100 on order. The airline also said it might make similar changes to its existing fleet of 737-800s after the Max arrives, but no decisions have been made.


 

Last edited by Goose (5/03/2017 10:55 am)


We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists. 
 

5/03/2017 11:55 am  #2


Re: American Airlines is cutting more legroom in economy class

I saw that, too.  Well, isn't that just ducky?  I'm taking 15 people to Florence, Italy, in September.  Guess which airline from Philly to Rome?  That's right American.

Luckily, for this adventure it's not a Boeing 737.  However, something to keep in mind for domestic air travel.

Hell, why not simply eliminate all the freakin' seats and have the passengers stand and hold on to overhead rails like subways and buses.  Or maybe lay on the floor.

 

5/03/2017 12:15 pm  #3


Re: American Airlines is cutting more legroom in economy class

History tells us that stacking human beings like cord wood and transporting them around the world in such confined quarters usually does not yield positive results.

 

5/03/2017 12:50 pm  #4


Re: American Airlines is cutting more legroom in economy class

Rongone wrote:

History tells us that stacking human beings like cord wood and transporting them around the world in such confined quarters usually does not yield positive results.

Yea, I remember a couple of years ago there was a a bunch of air rage incidents involving reclining seats. People had an absurd debate about the etiquette of reclining seats while they ignored the real issue.
You crowd a bunch of people into a small space like animals, and they will begin to act like, well, animals.

 


We live in a time in which decent and otherwise sensible people are surrendering too easily to the hectoring of morons or extremists. 
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