AIBU to think airline seats no longer fit average-sized adults?

We flew back from Austria on Jet2, early March. No problems. Enough legroom and width room. 5'11" and 67kg.

The width of the seats is dictated by the plane width, on a typical 737/A320 size aircraft there are 6 seats and one aisle and it’s been like that since forever. So anyone thinking the seats are getting narrower is misremembering.

People are getting bigger though and if you end up between two broad-shouldered people then you’re going to be squashed.

This is fine but do you know how the person sitting next you feels? Every overweight person I sit next to on an aeroplane spills into my seat. It's not fair and they should be made to buy seats to suit their weight. On any form of public transport.

Having said that, seats are becoming smaller on many short haul flights. Ive has to fork out a small fortune for our summer holiday because 13yr old DS is 6ft 1inch (not over weight), with long legs.

I (size 12 back then so overweight) was placed in the row with two large people on my sides and I had a 10 month old with me that I had to breastfeed. They were both spilling to my seats and the lady also decided to put on a big fur coat. It was a nightmare. I asked my partner who isn’t small either to swap as I didn’t want the man on my left to see my breasts. It was 10h flight. I always booked an extra seat for my toddler after that flight.

I think its shoulder and leg space that lacks more than waist space.

I definitely find some airlines have narrower sears than others and try avoid them.

A quick Google does suggest that in many cases, plane seats are indeed getting smaller (and the backs thinner, to fit in an extra row). That's interesting, since most other things that need to accommodate bodies have got larger to adapt to people getting bigger overall (it's not vanity sizing in clothing, vanity has nothing to do with it, it's not a conspiracy to soothe fat people, it's size inflation to keep up with the market, PLEASE don't come at me, it's not my fault).

I suppose there's a feeling among airlines that once you're on the plane you're kind of stuck so it doesn't really matter, people will just have to deal with it? And with cheap air travel being so popular, nobody wants to be the one to make the compromise on price? You'd think there would be safety considerations though. I once saw a very large lady on a flight, she had an aisle seat and used a belt extender. She was obviously trying to be as unobtrusive as possible and everyone who passed her in the aisle was as polite and discreet as possible, but her size did make it harder for them to get past and I did wonder if there was a safety issue there.

I’ve never had an issue with shoulder space and I’ve flown jet2 as a size 18 and now an 8-10.

I do struggle with man spreading which frustrates the hell out of me.

I will always do my best to book an aisle seat so at least I can lean into the aisle.

It does sound like the broad shouldered male could have shown a little more consideration and self awareness.

Certainly it's a reason for tight seat pitch.

To get more width you'd have to go to 2/3 (short haul) and as someone I think mentioned upthread it's been a long time since that has been available on short haul airliners like the 737/A320 family.

It's done on the CRJ types but only because the fuselage diameter is smaller than the above types, not to provide more comfort.

In what way is it "disgusting"?

People want cheap flights. Small seats is the only way to achieve that.

I flew BA a week ago on an Airbus 320. I have very broad shoulders for a woman, and I was sat next to the window with my broad shouldered tall husband in the middle of a row of 3. There was no issue with shoulder room.

I'll be totally honest, the seats are fine for me and I'd resent paying more to offset larger and fewer seats. The price increase would affect everyone.ni prefer the current model where if you want a premium seat, you pay for it.

I was once next to someone whose first move on starting to sit down was to lift up the armrest - because he physically could not fit in his seat and needed part of mine. I literally wore part of him for the whole flight - it was quite horrible. I wish I’d been quicker to see what he was going to do because I’d have slammed that armrest back down again

I mean…
What happens if someone can’t fit into the seats at a theme park? They’re not allowed on the ride. Perhaps the same should apply with flying 🙃

Just keep having babies so you always have a toddler to fly with. Lol 😆
Then they grow up into lanky teens.

I was at the Air Museum the other day one thing I noticed about the 1960s Dan Air plane, the seats did look wider, 3 on one side, 2 on the other but then flying in the 1960s really wasn't cheap.

I guess if modern planes was to go back to the configuration loosing a line of seats would increase the price by a 5th. 5 seats instead of 6 seats across.

No, the seats are designed to fit in as many average healthy-weight people as possible. HTH.

Seat Map or Seat Guru can help with seat details if you know the aircraft. It’s not likely the low cost carriers have the same width as others might on brand new aircraft. I assume they don’t have a PE or Business.

What does the TC stand for?

All these people insisting that seats are getting narrower, what do you think they are they doing with all the extra width gained? They're not fitting in an extra seat, 3,3 configuration has been typical for decades

Yes, of a normal healthy adult size. HTHTC

The seats are standard. If you're overweight you'll be uncomfortable. If you're very overweight buy 2 seats

Both are true. The seats are too small and we do have an obesity issue in the UK. This is simply a known fact and I don’t think many of the posters are having a dig.

Airline seats are so uncomfortable anyway. And very bad for backs. Plus my thighs are almost too long. I’m 5 ft 9-10ish with long legs and my thighs barely fit in. Not sure how taller people manage!!

Obese is not as big as people think it is. It doesn't have to be morbid obesity to be obesity. BMI 30 won't look small, but many people wouldn't think it was obese, especially if carried well.

The trick is to fly with a toddler, then you can occupy all the shoulder space and a good chunk of the legroom too.

The downside of this is flying with a toddler.